Chawrasia T-23, Sharma T-41 at French Open

Indian golfer SSP Chawrasia was one over through 15 holes, slipping to T-23 from overnight T-13 in the Amundi Open de France here on Saturday.

Chawrasia, who needs a good finish to keep his card, had a series of pars and just one bogey on 14th.

Shubhankar Sharma shot one-under 70, but for the third day running he had a double bogey on his card. He is even for 54 holes and T-41 though much of the field was still playing. He has now dropped four double bogeys and a quadruple bogey this week where he dropped big numbers.

On Friday evening, he fired four straight birdies in the last five holes to make amends for three bogeys between 16th and second as he carded two-under 69 to be T-13 at end of the second round.

Chawrasia was now three-under for 36 holes. Gaganjeet Bhullar withdrew after first round due to a hamstring injury.

Nicolas Colsaerts and George Coetzee lead the way going into the weekend after a day of testing conditions at Le Golf National.

Belgium's Colsaerts mastered the cold and windy morning to top the leaderboard at nine under par with a round of 66, ignited by five birdies in six holes from the tenth.

He was joined by South African Coetzee, who bounced back from a double bogey on the 16th his seventh hole to also record five birdies in six holes after the turn.

American Kurt Kitayama is one shot further back on eight under par, one shot clear of Scot Richie Ramsay, who recovered from a double bogey on the first to sign for a round of 69.