NEWPORT, Wales -- Richie Ramsay of Scotland shot a 4-under 67 on Friday to lead the Celtic Manor Wales Open after the second round, while U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Corey Pavin made the cut with some help from the weather.

Ramsay was at 7-under 135 to lead Robert Rock (68) and Ross Fisher (66) of England by one stroke. Ramsay won the 2006 U.S. Amateur title and is on his first full year on tour.

"I didn't miss a green and I was mostly inside 10 or 12 feet," Ramsay said. "I missed three birdie putts inside six feet."

Pavin shot a second straight 72 at Celtic Manor and looked likely to be outside the cutoff. Instead, skies darkened, rain fell and scores rose during the afternoon, leaving the 1993 U.S. Open champion safe for the weekend.

"I didn't play well my first 10 holes. I think I hit one fairway, and short and crooked is a bad combination," Pavin said.

European Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie was in contention after a second straight 69.

"I started birdie, birdie, birdie this morning, which was great," Montgomerie said. "That got me on the leaderboard, which was different."

First-round co-leader David Frost shot 76, 10 worse than his first round.

Ramsay now hopes hopes his experience of playing with some of the biggest names in golf will pay dividends.

After becoming the first Scot in 108 years to win the U.S. Amateur title three years ago, Ramsay partnered Phil Mickelson at the Masters, Tiger Woods at the U.S. Open and Padraig Harrington in the British Open and, more recently, he played with Sergio Garcia a week ago at the European Open.

"They've all got great talent, but they can grind out a score when they are not playing so well," said Ramsay. "Sometimes I can be a bit hard on myself, but I've learnt to take the positives of each round more now. Sergio's been my favorite since I've been a little kid and to play with him was brilliant."

Ramsay did not drop a stroke Friday and added: "Ball-striking it was up there with the best. I didn't miss a green and I missed three birdie putts inside six feet."

The two Englishmen right on his heels are both looking to improve on recent near-misses.

Rock lost a playoff for the Irish Open to amateur Shane Lowry -- still taking the first-prize check softened the blow of that -- while Fisher was pipped for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth by Paul Casey.

In an event disappointingly featuring only three of the world's top 50, Fisher is the highest-ranked player at 23rd and he showed his class with a 66.

"This is a great opportunity -- a chance to cash in big time," he said. "I obviously didn't want to miss the cut defending the European Open last week, but after a weekend off I feel as fresh as a daisy and I probably needed it."

Rock reached 8 under, then dropped four strokes in three holes, then finished with two birdies like Fisher.

"I felt myself taking less and less time over the shots and it just slipped away a bit, but when we got to the next leaderboard I was relieved to see I hadn't put myself four or five behind," he said.

He does not have to worry about Lowry this weekend. It is now two missed cuts out of two as a professional for only the third amateur to win a Tour title -- and both of them by wide margins. The 22-year-old improved just two shots on his opening 75 to exit on 10 over.

Montgomerie is only three behind Ramsay after a second successive 69 -- and, given that he has not had a top 10 finish for almost a year, that is a huge boost for a tournament so short on star names.

It promised to be even better for the 45-year-old when he set off with three birdies in a row and shared top spot. But it was a sign of how much his confidence has suffered when he said that, even with that start, he was happy with his score.

"It could have and should have been better, but I am learning to accept what's given," said Montgomerie.

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