Roe takes lead with second 66

Sheffield's Mark Roe, uncertain whether he would be able to continue the Lancome Trophy in Paris, instead charged into the second round lead on Friday.

Roe's place in the £900,000 event was in doubt overnight after his left wrist swelled up badly following a wasp sting.

But after being given anti-histamines the 38-year-old, winner in 1992, had five more birdies in his first 11 holes and at 10 under par led fellow Englishmen Gary Emerson and Shaun Webster by three.

They took advantage of Retief Goosen's unexpected inability to build on his opening 64, which had been good enough for a two-stroke advantage.

While Goosen, holder of the title as well as the reigning US and Scottish Open champion, slipped back to six under, while Emerson, Roe's playing partner, and former English amateur champion Webster improved to seven under.

Colin Montgomerie, meanwhile, was in severe danger of missing the halfway cut.

The Scot probably needed a 67 after his opening 75 and when he pitched dead at the fifth for his fourth birdie of the day - he resumed on the 10th - he had a real chance of making it.

But Montgomerie failed to birdie the long sixth when his seven-foot putt horseshoed out and on the 153-yard seventh he hooked into water, bogeyed and fell back to level par. The cut was likeliest to fall at level par.

Roe, 131st in the Order of Merit and needing to climb 15 places to avoid a return to the qualifying school, had been given anti-histamines, but not the steroids the doctor felt were the best treatment because of the possibility of drug-testing at the event.

It has been an eventful time for the 38-year-old since his last visit to the school in 1984.

As well as winning three times and representing England in the Dunhill and World Cups he was hit on the head by a shot from an amateur in 1995 and two years ago tore tendons in his fingers when he grabbed the collar of his dog at home and it lurched away.

He has another memory of Paris as well as his victory - he was fined for pouring spaghetti over the head of Russell Claydon during a French Open.

And Claydon was fined as well because their behaviour in a restaurant was judged to be conduct unbecoming.

The biggest headlines Roe made, however, were with his revelation that during a marriage break-up he had contemplated suicide and went as far as putting a shotgun in his mouth.

Now re-married, he became the proud father last October of twin girls and in March returned to the circuit after 20 months out with the finger injury.

Montgomerie was given the warmest of receptions on the first tee when, during a lengthy address by the announcer to the crowd (in French, of course) about cameras and mobile phones, he took it upon himself to answer "OK, OK" repeatedly to much amusement.

The shot into the water 16 holes later, however, brought no smiles.

Montgomerie, as always fully aware of the situation, hit his pitch to the 374-yard last to four feet - but he knew he almost certainly had to hole the shot for eagle to make the cut.

He made the putt for birdie - but after signing for a 68 and one over aggregate he said: "One of these things - I think if the Ryder Cup was to be played I would have a different score and be here for the weekend.

"It's a reaction to losing that, I think. I have felt absolutely flat this week - as everybody has after events in New York and Washington, of course."

Goosen added a 71 to his 64 to stand seven under and joint second but said: "I hit it terribly, especially my irons.

"I've not played for two weeks and I think my timing is a bit out. I'm still in a good position."

Roe bogeyed the 13th but at nine under was still two ahead of Goosen, Webster and Emerson.

Roe, without a single top 20 finish since coming back from his long injury lay-off, returned to 10 under and a three-stroke lead with a birdie at the long 16th.

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