Rafael Echenique fired a second round of 67 for a two-shot lead at the halfway stage of the French Open in Paris.

The Argentine's closest rivals are Martin Kaymer (72), South African Charl Schwartzel (66) and Steve Webster (65), who shot the best round of the day at Le Golf National.

But Padraig Harrington's woeful form continued as he missed his fifth successive cut. The Dubliner posted a second round of 75 to finish on four-over-par.

The 37-year-old now has just one more event, the Irish PGA championship, to rediscover his form before the defence of his Open Championship crown at Turnberry.

Harrington, who ran up a triple-bogey eight at the 14th, said his putting was worrying him.

"I was never comfortable on the greens all week," the Irishman said.

"I'm hoping that's all it was. I just struggled - just putted terribly and didn't get any confidence. That's reflected in the score.

"It showed up the weakness in my putting. I've been happy with it and still am physically, but it certainly got on top of me this week and that's where the focus will be."

Harrington is 14 shots behind leader Echenique, who sunk seven birdies to go round in ten-under.

Kaymer had just a single birdie and two bogeys to drop off the pace.

A shot behind on seven-under are Australian Richard Green and Swede Peter Hanson, while Lee Westwood and fellow Englishman Paul Waring are four shots off the pace on six-under.

Last year's runner-up Colin Montgomerie triple-bogeyed the final hole but just made the cut.
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