Lee Westwood's presence loomed even larger at the French Open on Friday - but Pablo Larrazabal was still the man to catch.

Westwood, playing his first tournament since going so close to his first major victory at the US Open two weeks ago, defied the blustery conditions to add a bogey-free 68 to his opening 69 at Le Golf National near Paris.

In joint 17th place overnight he was up into a tie for second with 19-year-old Oliver Fisher midway through the day's play and only two behind Larrazabal, who qualified for the £3million event last week.

The 25-year-old from Barcelona led by one overnight following a six under par 65 and marched four clear when he began the back nine with three birdies in four holes.

Then, however, Larrazabal failed to get up and down after missing the 16th green and three-putted the next, being forced to settle for a 70 and seven under par aggregate of 135 as a result.

Victory for Westwood would almost certainly see him leap over Miguel Angel Jimenez and Robert Karlsson to the top of the Order of Merit.

They both started with one over par 72s yesterday, but while Jimenez waited to tee off again Karlsson followed two early bogeys with a double-bogey on the 18th. He did then produce four front nine birdies to get back to one over, however.

Ian Poulter, also one over overnight, bogeyed three of the last four holes for another 72. That was likely to be just good enough to survive the cut in his return to action after pulling out of the US Open with an injured wrist.

Fisher was only just starting his second round and did so with three successive pars.

Irishman Peter Lawrie, who also shot 66 yesterday, former winner Paul Broadhurst and last year's runner-up Soren Hansen, 11th in the Ryder Cup race, were among those three behind on four under.