Otaegui and Uihlein share the lead at French Open

SAINT- QUENTIN- EN-YVELINES ( France): American Peter Uihlein survived a late wobble to take a share of the lead with Spain’s Adrian Otaegui into the weekend at the weather-affected French Open near Paris.

Uihlein was one of a number of players unable to finish his round until very late on Friday at the Golf National after a lengthy delay as storms hit the course to the southwest of the French capital.

But he came back out to shoot three straight birdies from the 13th before a bogey at 17 and a saved par at the last completed a round of four-under 67 that left him eight-under at halfway.

Otaegui had long since finished his round, carding a five-under 66 that featured six birdies, including one from a 40-foot putt at the short 16th.

The duo will go out in the last pairing and hold a one-shot lead over England’s Tommy Fleetwood and Sweden’s Alexander Bjoerk.

“It was a good day,” Uihlein, who has managed three top-10 finishes this season, told europeantour.com.

“I hit it pretty good. Made some nice putts I guess.

“I was pretty steady, really, so it was all right.”

Of the rain delay, he added: “When the rain came and they said we could go back out, I figured the greens would be a lot better and the wind died after the storm. I figured it actually wasn’t the worst time to actually have a little breather.”

It is tight at the top, with the top 17 players separated by just four shots at the venue that will host next year’s Ryder Cup.

Overnight leader Paul Waring was unable to build on his stunning opening 64, but a one-over 72 left him alongside fellow Englishman Nathan Kimsey on six-under.

Lee Westwood had four birdies and no dropped shots in a 67, while Romain Langasque got the home crowd going, the young Frenchman firing eight birdies in a 65 to also sit at four-under.

But Fleetwood could be the danger man. The Englishman has been in fine form, including a fourth place at the recent US Open, and is building towards the British Open at his local course Royal Birkdale.

He followed his opening 67 with a 68 that featured just one dropped shot. Further back, world No. 8 Alex Noren sits at two-under. – AFP