Duo tied for lead in France

Nicolas Colsaerts and George Coetzee are heading into round three of the French Open tied at the top of the leader-board. The 2018 Ryder Cup course – Le Golf National – yielded some low scoring in the first round, with South African Coetzee carding a round of 65 to finish the first day in joint first. However, heavy rain and overnight and windy conditions threatened to change that but Colsaerts took advantage of the calmer afternoon weather to card a round of 66 and join Coetzee on nine-under heading into day three. Coetzee was very impressive on day two, particularly on the back nine as he hit six birdies to join Colsaerts at nine-under. The Belgian, a two-time winner on the European Tour, was in outstanding form, particularly on the greens, with the highlight being a 35-foot putt on the 13th, which gave him a share of the lead at the time. He looked like he was going to go into day three in the lead after an impressive approach on the 15th but he bogeyed the last after finding the water. Coetzee’s front nine was less than stellar after dropping a shot on the 13th before finding the water on the 16th, but his form late on saw him surge up the board to head to the clubhouse in joint first. American Kurt Kitayama is third on the board a shot back, while Scot Richie Ramsey is fourth on seven-under.