Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (France) (AFP) – Thongchai Jaidee and Finn Mikko Ilonen both carded under-par second rounds on Friday to take a share of the lead in the 100th French Open at Golf National.
The experienced Thai Thongchai had a topsy-turvy day with three bogeys and four birdies, while Ilonen joined him at the top of the leaderboard after firing an excellent three-under-par 68.
Earlier, defending champion Bernd Wiesberger, starting on the back nine, soared into a four-shot lead with five birdies in his first eight holes, only for a triple bogey at the 18th to halt his momentum.
Two closing bogeys left him a stroke behind Thongchai, Ilonen and afternoon starter Lucas Bjerregaard of Denmark.
It was another bad day for Masters champion Danny Willett, who looks set to miss the cut, although playing partner Lee Westwood was three under par for his second nine holes to secure a place for the weekend.
Thongchai backed up his opening 67 with a solid one-under-par 70 on the second day.
A fine iron shot into the 9th green, his last hole, set up a simple birdie to reach five under par for the tournament.
“The course set-up is very tough this year. The greens are soft, which is OK, but the wind conditions are difficult,” the 46-year-old said.
“That’s why we’re very happy to be one under par today. I hit my irons very well, but I missed a lot of greens. I had a chip-in on 18 which helped bring the confidence back.”
The world number 262 Ilonen, who was ranked in the top 50 less than two years ago but has struggled with injury and loss of form, looked back to his best in France.
The five-time European Tour winner had five birdies in his round, with an excellent par save at 17 helping him stay on five under.
“That’s got to be the best two scores on this golf course ever for me. I don’t think I’ve had too many rounds in the 60s,” he said.
“My putting when I’ve struck the ball well has been holding me back in recent weeks, but last week I played really well and just had one really bad round in there. That was showing more signs that my game is there or thereabouts.”
Dane Anders Hansen, who only came out of retirement last week at the BMW International Open, carded a three-under-par 68 to move into a tie for fourth place alongside Wiesberger and big-hitting Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts.
– Willett set to miss cut –
Westwood fought back from a difficult start with three consecutive birdies from the second hole en route to a second-round 70.
After starting on the 10th, the 43-year-old was five over par for the tournament through nine holes, but a good downhill birdie putt on the par-three second got his week belatedly up and running.
The Englishman, who collapsed in the final round of the US Open at Oakmont less than a fortnight ago, now looks all but certain to make the cut on two over par.
There was no such luck for Willett, as the world number nine struggled to find any consistency with his swing and missed a succession of birdie efforts on the greens.
A second round score of 72 leaves him on five over, three strokes below the projected cut line and needing plenty of favours from the afternoon starters to make the weekend.
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