Woosnam ties for lead despite bogies

Former U.S. Masters champion Ian Woosnam finally found reason to smile after a second round 69 gave him a share of the French Open lead on Friday.

The 46-year-old Welshman, contemplating retirement last month after a poor run of form, would have led outright but he dropped three strokes over the last four holes.

He is on six-under-par along with Frenchman Jean-Francois Remesy, who had a round of 67 earlier in the day.

"I was bleeding at the end," said Woosnam, "but overall I played solidly and I'm much happier with my swing, it feels much tighter, more like my old swing."

Woosnam had been so down with his game only a month ago he had considered packing away his clubs.

But he added: "You know me; I'm always in the depths of despair. I just don't seem to play very well at that time of year (May)."

Ironically, when Woosnam won his 29th and last European Tour title, the 1997 PGA Championship, it was in May.

Woosnam was firing on all cylinders and by the 12th, where he holed what he called an 'outrageous' 50ft putt for his fifth birdie, he had built a three-stroke advantage over the French 1999 Estoril Open winner.

But then three pulled shots, which cost him bogeys on the 15th, 16th and 17th, where he did well to recover from waist-high rough, brought him back alongside Remesy.

The Frenchman is bidding to be the first to win his home Open since Jean Garaialde in 1969.

"I'm feeling good in my own country," said Remesy, "I want to win every week but I have a little bit more ambition to do better here.

"There is more pressure but I'm 40 years old and I know the story."

Australian left-hander Richard Green, whose only European Tour win came after a playoff for the 1997 Dubai Desert Classic title with Woosnam and Greg Norman, maintained third place, two shots off the leading pair.

First round leader Darren Fichardt of South Africa fell back after a bright start to finish three shots off the pace.

Colin Montgomerie just squeezed into the weekend on the cut-off mark of seven-over-par, the highest of the season by three strokes.

With just 10 players out of 152 under par for two rounds, Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer was one of those to miss out, totalling 13-over with an eight and seven on his card.

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