Clarke forced into Open qualification

If Darren Clarke wants to take part in this year's Open he must do it the hard way after missing the cut at French Open today. 

The Ulsterman, who vented his frustration by throwing his club away at the seventh tee, must enter the 36-hole Open qualifier at Sunningdale on Monday where twelve players will progress from the field of 120.

Clarke was later contrite about his intemperate display at the seventh. "First time, I think, I have ever done that in my pro career," he said. "It was just one of those things, but I would berate my son if he did it."

There was better news for Dublin's Peter Lawrie although he failed to emulate his superb first-round performance when carding a level-par 71 at Le Golf National in Paris to trail leaders Pablo Larrazabal and David Lynn by two shots.

Lawrie's 66 yesterday was littered with birdies but he only managed three today, on his back nine after starting on the 10th.

Having won the Spanish Open earlier this year, Lawrie is chasing a rare double that was last achieved by German great Bernhard Langer in 1984.

He is among five players in joint second including a resurgent Colin Montgomery who birdied the last two holes to join Lee Westwood, Ignacio Garrido and Angel Cabrerra on five under.

The Scotsman was as talkative and confident as ever after his 68 today.

"I had 16 holes of utter, utter frustration and I hate to say the birdies were deserved, but the way I played that was the very minimum I deserved.

"That was as good as I can play from tee to green. I've hit 33 greens in regulation out of 36 round here, which is back to the way that I used to play and win tournaments - through lack of mistakes.

"It wasn't the amount of putts that I holed, it was the amount of mistakes I didn't make" he said.

However, the most inspired finish to a round today belonged to Englishman David Lynn who put daylight between himself and the chasing pack with a stunning chip-in from the bunker on the last for a birdie which gave him a share of the lead with Larazabal. 

"I played well yesterday and was so frustrated when I made a double bogey seven on the ninth - my finishing hole - I wasn't happy at all but I knew that I was playing well. It was tricky today when we started because the wind was around but that died off on the last hole and I got my score going.

"I am right in it now and it's all to play for over the weekend."

World number 481 Larrazabal (25) was delighted to be in such illustrious company and admitted to being nervous having led after the first round. "But I wasn't so nervous that I was going to miss shots or anything like that.

"They are huge stars who have played a lot of Ryder Cups, but to know that I can play like them is great for me, very positive.

A 69 from Denmark's Soren Hansen and a 70 from England's Graeme Storm saw both move into the reckoning on four under.

Meanwhile, Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen and Thai Chapchai Nirat both had holes-in-one, but because Derksen's came at the 175-yard 16th rather than 210-yard second he was the one to win a BMW car. They both missed the cut, however.