PARIS -- England's David Lynn holed a bunker shot for birdie on the final hole for a 6-under 65 and a share of the second-round lead Friday in the Alstom French Open with Spanish qualifier Pablo Larrazabal.

Lynn and Larrazabal (70) had 7-under 135 totals on Le Golf National's Albatross Course.

"It was a pretty straightforward bunker shot, not very far, that came off perfect," Lynn said. "I just played solid."

England's Lee Westwood (68), Scotland's Colin Montgomerie (68), Spain's Ignacio Garrido (69), Argentina's Angel Cabrera (70) and Ireland's Peter Lawrie (71) were tied for third.

Larrazabal had four bogeys.

"After I made birdies on 3 and 4, I don't know why, I started to hit the ball really bad," Larrazabal said. "I couldn't keep the ball on the fairway."

Westwood is looking good to make instant amends this weekend for his U.S. Open near-miss, and to give himself the perfect boost ahead of the British Open. But look who is alongside him halfway through the French Open -- none other than Colin Montgomerie.

Six months into a year that has seen him fall out of the world's top 100 for the first time since 1990, Montgomerie birdied the final two holes of his second round to join Westwood on 5 under par, just two off the lead.

Montgomerie hit a 5-iron to four feet, then an 8-iron over water to seven feet to finish in real style.

"If I can be patient, I have a chance," said Montgomerie when asked about his chances of a 32nd European Tour win on Sunday.

"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 minimum I deserved," he added. "It was as good as I can play tee to green. It was back to the way I won tournaments."

Westwood has also been easy to spot on the opening two days. He was the another standing on the fairway while others almost literally disappeared into the hay.

"I don't think I've seen rough as bad as this since Carnoustie in 1999 -- it's chest-high at points," he said.

Westwood could be back at the top of the European Tour Order of Merit on Sunday night -- and would have been if he had triumphed at Torrey Pines two weeks ago rather than finishing one behind Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate.

"I'm constantly being told 'well played' this week, but while that's great and nice to hear sometimes you want to forget about and concentrate on the French Open," he said. "It looks like a great result to everyone else (it was his best major), but at the same time it wasn't a win, so it is always in the back of your mind that you didn't win it."

Westwood, in fact, has yet to lift a trophy this year, but his confidence is sky-high and it went up another notch with his bogey-free second round.

"I've managed to stay well away from the rough and that's the key around here. I'm all for long rough, but there are a couple of places where it is only four yards off the fairway," he explained. "I think that's a bit severe, but with the course firm and bouncy it's almost like playing a links and great practice for the Open."

Qualifier Larrazabal, one in front after his opening 65 and in the first group out at 7:30 a.m., stretched his lead to four before bogeying the 16th and 17th for a 70.

"They are the big stars and I am the rookie," said the world No. 481. "To know that I can play like them is great for me, very positive."

Last year's U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera was joint leader until he lost a ball on the 17th and double bogeyed, while Larrazabal's fellow countryman Ignacio Garrido moved alongside him on 7 under as well before bogeying the 15th late in the day.

Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen and Thailand's 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. He still missed the cut, however.

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