Lee James grinds out par 70 to

grab a share of Brittany lead

From Paul Symes, European Challenge Tour Press Officer
psymes@europeantour.com
Lee James’ grinding skills came to the fore on a blustery day in Brittany as a level par round of 70 saw the former British amateur champion grab a share of the lead at the midway stage of the Allianz Open Côtes d’Armor Bretagne on the European Challenge Tour today.
After a day in which only six players broke par, four-time Challenge Tour champion James sat at the head of affairs on five under par alongside home favourite Julien Guerrier, Sweden’s Steven Jeppesen and English rookie John Parry, whose round of 68 was the joint lowest of the day.
But despite gusting winds of up to 25mph which demanded both caution and accuracy off the tee, James struggled more with his putter than his driver.
He said: “It was very tricky to get your clubbing right in the wind, but I don’t mind that too much. I probably struggled most of all on the greens. I had a couple of three putts for bogey, and just never got to grips with the pace of the greens all day. I had a 25 foot putt on the first hole and left it about eight feet short, and that set the tone for the rest of the day!
"So my over-riding feeling’s probably one of disappointment, and an opportunity missed. If I’d putted even half-decent, I would’ve been two or three shots better off. But I’m still well in the hunt, so I mustn’t grumble too much.
“I’d probably rather it stayed windy for the weekend, because if the wind stays calm like the first day it places more emphasis on your putting, which isn’t really my forte at the moment. Obviously you don’t want it too windy so it gets ridiculous, but a fair bit of breeze wouldn’t harm my chances at all.
"Usually I don’t mind tough conditions too much. The important thing is just to stay patient, because birdies are hard to come by, but it’s easy to run up a few bogeys.”
Challenge of Ireland winner Andrew Tampion of Australia is one shot back in sixth place after his second successive 68.

Former Australian open amateur champion Eric Ramsay (pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency) from Carnoustie, who had a lean time in 2008, is beginning to show a return to his old form. He is the leading Scot on 139 - only four shots off the pace, with scores of 68 and 71.

One shot behind on 140 is Fifer Peter Whiteford after a pair of 70s.

Greig Hutcheon (Peterculter) also beat the cut with rounds of 69 and 74 for 143 (144 or better qualified).

Former Scottish amateur champion Andrew McArthur from Windyhill missed it by one shot with rounds of 69 and 76 for 145.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

Par 140 (2 x 70)
135 J Guerrier (Fra) 66 69, J Parry (Eng) 67 68, L James (Eng) 65 70, S Jeppesen (Swe) 65 70.
136 A Tampion (Aus) 68 68, J Quesne (Fra) 67 69.
137 V Riu (Fra) 64 73.
138 T Feyrsinger (Aut) 69 69, A Marshall (Eng) 70 68, F Fritsch (Ger) 65 73, D Nouailhac (Fra) 70 68, J Lima (Por) 68 70, J Larsen (Nor) 67 71.
139 E Ramsay (Sco) 68 71, T Haylock (Eng) 68 71, A Murray (Irl) 67 72, A Kaleka (am) (Fra) 68 71.
140 P Relecom (Bel) 70 70, P Gustafsson (Swe) 70 70, P Whiteford (Sco) 70 70, G Plumet (Fra) 69 71, G Davies (Eng) 70 70, J Sjöholm (Swe) 66 74.
141 F Praegant (Aut) 70 71, N Colsaerts (Bel) 68 73, D Küpper (Ger) 69 72, P Golding (Eng) 69 72, F Schoettel (Fra) 69 72, O Suhr (Den) 65 76, J Blaauw (RSA) 69 72, T Whitehouse (Eng) 70 71, N Joakimides (Fra) 69 72, R Kilpatrick (Nir) 69 72, P Rowe (Eng) 69 72, A Gee (Eng) 68 73, B Alvarado (Chi) 71 70, R Steele (Eng) 70 71, M Ford (Eng) 71 70, J Billot (Fra) 68 73, M Korhonen (Fin) 69 72, A Hansen (Den) 67 74, B Mason (Eng) 71 70, F Calmels (Fra) 70 71.
142 J Remesy (Fra) 73 69, B Lecuona (Fra) 70 72, B Hebert (Fra) 69 73, R Coles (Eng) 66 76,
143 A Mellor (Eng) 71 72, A Zanini (Ita) 73 70, C Brazillier (Fra) 68 75, L Brovold (Nor) 70 73, G Hutcheon (Sco) 69 74, J Guillet (Fra) 70 73, L Kennedy (Eng) 69 74, A Bernadet (Fra) 69 74, A Willey (Eng) 73 70, M Haastrup (Den) 69 74, C Suneson (Esp) 71 72, B Miarka (Ger) 66 77, J Ruth (Eng) 70 73, V Dubuisson (am) (Fra) 66 77.
144 A Joudar (Mar) 71 73, G Houston (Wal) 75 69, D Ulrich (Sui) 69 75, R Steiner (Aut) 73 71, M Mills (Eng) 70 74, J Sköld (Swe) 72 72, A Butterfield (Eng) 75 69, N Smith (USA) 70 74, I Pyman (Eng) 70 74, P Del Grosso (Arg) 70 74, A Bruschi (Ita) 71 73, M Zions (Aus) 65 79, F Cupillard (Fra) 72 72,
MISSED THE CUT

145 N Vanhootegem (Bel) 76 69, R Bechu (Fra) 70 75, A McArthur (Sco) 69 76, B Coathalem (Fra) 72 73, J Garcia Pinto (Esp) 72 73, P Kaensche (Nor) 71 74, M Mauret (Fra) 72 73, T Ferreira (RSA) 76 69, M Quiros (Esp) 70 75, K Jorgensen (Den) 72 73, C Menut (Fra) 74 71, J Grillon (Fra) 71 74, M Cort (Eng) 70 75, B Evans (Eng) 70 75.
146 S Delagrange (Fra) 74 72, C Russo (Fra) 75 71, T Cruz (Por) 73 73, C Günther (Ger) 75 71, L Richard (Bel) 76 70, C Moriarty (Irl) 73 73, S Reale (Ita) 79 67, A Grenier (Fra) 70 76, S Robinson (Eng) 69 77, M Laskey (Wal) 69 77.
147 R Harris (Eng) 74 73, A Högberg (Swe) 73 74, M Tullo (Chi) 70 77, A Mörk (Fra) 74 73, D Denison (Eng) 75 72, N Meitinger (Ger) 73 74, T Dykes (Wal) 71 76, M Reale (Ita) 74 73, M Kramer (Ger) 75 72.
148 O Floren (Swe) 70 78, D Griffiths (Eng) 74 74, I Giner (Esp) 77 71, C Monasterio (Arg) 74 74, J Heath (Eng) 74 74.
149 A Wagner (Arg) 74 75, E Chaudouet (Fra) 71 78, J Zapata (Arg) 75 74, K Brink (Swe) 74 75, J Garcia Fernandez (Esp) 74 75, C Smith (Wal) 78 71, J Xanthopoulos (Fra) 76 73, O David (Fra) 75 74.
150 A Mandonnet (Fra) 77 73, R Santos (Por) 73 77, L Westerberg (Swe) 72 78, B Teilleria (Fra) 70 80, J Little (Eng) 71 79, C Aguilar (Esp) 73 77, G Boyd (Eng) 75 75.
151 E Moreul (Fra) 74 77.
152 J Colomo (Esp) 75 77, J Forestier (Fra) 71 81, D Perrier (Fra) 78 74, P Baker (Eng) 76 76, V Simoni (Fra) 73 79, E Chamaulte (Fra) 78 74.
153 X Poncelet (Fra) 78 75, D Froreich (Ger) 73 80, A Taupin (Fra) 73 80, G Gresse (Bel) 77 76.
155 J Gougeon (Fra) 69 86.
157 R Malingri Di Bagnolo (Fra) 75 82, M Van Hauwe (Fra) 77 80.
158 K Sullivan (Wal) 77 81.
159 J Van Hauwe (Fra) 78 81, J Lenne (Fra) 81 78, M Hill (Fra) 78 81, R Treis (Ger) 81 78, A Weizman (Fra) 74 85.
160 S Juul (Den) 80 80.
161 X Laduche (Fra) 77 84, C Dubois (Fra) 75 86,
163 F Vallet (Fra) 77 86,
172 S Bernard (Fra) 84 88,
Withdrew: N Maestroni (Ita) 70, M Pilkington (Wal) 83.

Retired: F Serghini (Mar) 82.

Disqualified: T Briset (Fra).