Patient McDowell two off lead

Graeme McDowell emerged from an hour-long fog delay to also end a run of two missed cuts and remain in contention at the French Open on the outskirts of Versailles.

McDowell posted his second straight two-under par 69 to move just two strokes behind Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti (68), who heads the field by a stroke.

Three players – Danish duo Soren Kjeldsen (68) and the in-form Thomas Bjorn (69), along with South African Richard Sterne (69) – are next best on five under.