John McHenry and Eamonn Darcy maintained their good form from the opening day to card one under-par 70s in yesterday's second round of the £600,000 Open de France outside Bordeaux.

Darcy lies on 136, just four shots behind leader Greg Turner of New Zealand, who added a 65 to his opening 67. McHenry is a further shot behind Darcy on 137.

Des Smyth was best of the Irish yesterday. His two-under-par 69 left him on 139, within striking distance over the weekend. But Philip Walton could do no better than 75 to miss the cut by some distance.

He was in good company. Masters champion Jose-Maria Olazabal confessed to being baffled by his form as he too made an early exit.

The 33-year-old Spaniard, who claimed his second green jacket at Augusta last month, stumbled to a second round 76, five-over-par, at Golf du Medoc.

It meant a second weekend off in three events since winning in America and a fourth in total this season, an unprecedented bad sequence of results that left Olazabal shaking his head.

"I really don't know what it is," he said after a two round total of 148 saw him finish 16 shots behind Turner.

"I don't think it's being tired, I'm just playing badly, it's as simple as that. The game is no good.

"They're not the best greens in the world but I'm not going to blame it on that. Everything from the driver to the irons is wrong.

"To miss four cuts in a year is not like me but I would miss another four for another major."

Seve Ballesteros was another one packing his bags early, although the 42-year-old did show touches of that old magic in a second round 68.

"I played well today but the problem was the first round," said Ballesteros. "I played well last week and am playing better and just feel I need a bit more luck."

The former Ryder Cup captain's luck ran out on the par three fifth (his 14th), when he was still in with an outside chance of making the last two rounds.

Standing on the tee he was two over par and in need of a good finish, but could only find the green-side bunker with his approach.

The ball was plugged in the sand and it took one of the world's best sand players two more to get it on the green and two putts added up to a double bogey five.

In typical style he birdied the next from 35 feet, but his three-over total of 145 was certain to be a few too many and he added: "I was going very well to the fifth.

"There's always a crucial moment and that was it. If I had a normal lie I would have had a chance but there was no chance.

"The greens were also terrible, the worst we've played on all year. The ball went all over the place and it's a pity because it's a great course."

Another former Masters champion, Ian Woosnam, fared a great deal better, adding a 68 to his opening 71 to be three under par.

"I'm quite happy with that," said the Welshman. "I never hit it close enough to make many birdies but putted well from long distance."

Christy O'Connor Jnr got off to a steady start in his second event on the US Senior Tour yesterday by firing a level par 72 in the opening round of the Nationwide Championship at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

George Archer and Graham Marsh both fired first round four-under-par 68s to share the lead.