Harrington falls short of the mark

Pádraig Harrington's abysmal run of form continued when he missed the cut at the French Open, trailing 15 shots behind second-round leader Rafa Echenique of Argentina. He was joined on five over by Paul McGinley and Graeme McDowell who also shot 75s, but Shane Lowry made his first cut since winning the Irish Open as an amateur in May after avoiding a two-shot penalty for being late on the first tee by only 10 seconds.

The Irishman had to dash 200 yards and leap several feet down on to the tee after being warned he was running out of time. He went round in 72 for a total of 141.

Gareth Maybin was best of the Irish on two under after a 71, while Darren Clarke, Peter Lawrie and Damien McGrane scraped in on level par.

Michael Hoey just missed the cut on two over after a 73, while an 80 left Gary Murphy on 12 over.

Echenique, runner-up at last week's BMW International Open, carded a four-under 67 for a 10-under total of 132.

Germany's Martin Kaymer (72), South African Charl Schwartzel (66) and Britain's Steve Webster (65) shared second spot on 134 but Harrington missed his fifth successive cut after limping to a 75 for 147, five over.

A triple-bogey eight on the 14th after Harrington went out of bounds at the National course near Versailles ended the triple major winner's hopes of regaining some confidence ahead of his British Open title defence at Turnberry in two weeks' time.

The 38-year-old Dubliner ran up 66 putts in his two rounds here and it is his touch on and around the greens that is troubling him the most.

"I'll be hitting plenty of putts and wedge shots over the next few days, you can be sure," Harrington told reporters after missing the cut by four strokes.

"I've certainly shown a weakness in my putting this week, it got on top of me."

It was Harrington's last chance to find form for Turnberry on the main circuit because next week he plays in the Irish PGA Championship, a non-European Tour event he has won for the last two years.

"It's hard to think of shooting 20-under, 15-under or even 12-under with the form I've had but it could all change next week," said the winner of the 2007 and 2008 British Opens and last year's US PGA Championship.

Echenique, who produced a rare albatross at the final hole in Munich last week, recovered from a first-hole bogey by picking up five shots in the next eight holes.

Webster mounted his challenge just days after having surgery following an accident at home. The Englishman was hit in the eye by a loft door last week and needed stitches.

US Masters champion Angel Cabrera of Argentina (70) missed the cut on 145.