Campbell back on form after layoff

New Zealand's Michael Campbell made light of a two-month layoff when he came back to move within just a stroke of the early lead in the French Open on Friday.

Campbell, 31, already with four wins to his credit this season, including two in European Tour co-sanctioned events, bogeyed the last to deny himself a share of the lead with Spaniard Fernando Roca and Anders Hansen of Denmark.

But the New Zealander's six-under-par 66 to move to eight-under-par 136 put him on the shoulder of the leading pair.

Hansen carded 65 and Roca, who had shared second place overnight, shot 68. Englishman Jonathan Lomas tied for third place with Campbell after a 64, a stroke off the course record.

Hansen took over in contention from his fellow Dane Soren Hansen with seven birdies and no dropped shots, while Roca moved up a place with five birdies and a bogey.

Campbell looked as though he would join them until thinning a bunker shot over the final green and then missing a six-foot save.

"It was disappointing to finish like that but after two months off it was a pretty good effort," said Campbell.

"It's all the more satisfying because I changed my swing around in America and I had no idea what I was doing on Tuesday.

"Transferring my swing from the range to the course has been hard but the engine's started to warm up and now it just needs a little bit of tuning and I can win again." he threw his clubs across a room, dismayed at reaching the nadir of his career three years ago, after the world seemed at his feet when he led the British Open final round two years earlier before finishing tied third at St Andrews.

"I was as far down as you can get three years ago," said Campbell. "But I've come through the tunnel and now I want to think about winning a major.

"I'm looking forward to going back to St Andrews this year."

Campbell revealed he used to pretend to be Seve Ballesteros when he played as a 13-year-old and he expressed himself honoured to be playing with the five-time major champion in the first two rounds in Paris.

Ballesteros produced two typical swashbuckling displays to make his first cut of the year and his first since last October's Belgacom Open, his only low point coming when he double-bogeyed his penultimate hole en route to a 71 and 143.

"My goal is not to make cuts," said Ballesteros. "But to win. I have 25 years experience of knowing what it takes to win and I still have it."

Overnight leader Alberto Binaghi of Italy fell four shots off the pace with a 73.

European number one Colin Montgomerie began his afternoon round eight strokes off the leaders.

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