ADARE, Ireland -- Rookie Michael Lorenzo-Vera shot a 2-under 70 Friday to lead by one stroke after the second round at the Irish Open on the European Tour. The 23-year-old Frenchman, who won last year's European Challenge Tour, was at 6-under 138.

Marcel Siem of Germany shot a 71 at Adare Manor for second place.

Overnight co-leader Richard Green of Australia bogeyed the last hole for a 74, but was tied for third with Pablo Larrazabal of Spain (70).

The Irish Ryder Cup duo of Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley moved into contention after 69s, although McGinley bogeyed three of the last seven holes after making birdies on five of the first 11.

England's Lee James, close to giving up golf and applying for a job as a postman last year, now finds himself with a chance to win the Irish Open this weekend.

Fourteen years ago, James was British Amateur champion at the same time as Tiger Woods was the U.S. Amateur title holder. They were both at the 1995 Masters, opponents in the Walker Cup later that year and had dreams of striking it rich in the professional game.

Woods, of course, has already made his first $100 million. James, on the other hand, needed 12 trips to the European Tour before he made it through last November and his career earnings on the circuit stand at less than $200,000.

He is 723 places below Woods on the world rankings and he has never finished higher than 10th in any of his 86 events.

After rounds of 69 and 73, however, the 35-year-old is 2 under par and only four behind Lorenzo-Vera.

"I was struggling with a little bit of depression last year and a doctor told me to take a couple of months off," said James. "Financially, it was hard -- we couldn't pay for the mortgage -- and I had no interest even in going to the club to practice.

"My wife's been fantastic, though, and she suggested that if I felt the same after one more tournament I should give it up," he explained. "I got a few job applications, but didn't send any of them off, and then I managed to get some sponsorship. Without that, I don't think I could have gone on."

James -- so little known that a radio commentator even called him "James Lee" during the day -- had a chance to join Lorenzo-Vera in the lead when he stood over an eagle putt on the long 18th, his ninth.

But after two-putting for birdie he then slipped back with bogeys on the first, fifth and ninth. It will probably be a mental battle more than anything for him over the closing 36 holes.

There are some big names around him on the leaderboard, but Lorenzo-Vera is not one of them. Lorenz-Vera, in fact, admits the 7,453-yard course being played this week is the toughest he has seen in his life.

After his first sight of it he, admitted he thought: "God, how am I going to do that?"

But so far he has done it very well.

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