Bubba Watson blames a lack of crowd control for flop at French Open

JAMES Morrison, who decided not to pursue a career in cricket after playing with Alastair Cook at England youth level, charged into a halfway lead in the Alstom French Open yesterday.

But his performance was over-shadowed by a row involving American star Bubba Watson, who lashed out at what he believed was a lack of crowd control after his 74 saw him bow out on six-over-par. Two years ago Ian Poulter threatened never to return to the French Open after being put off by a press photographer. He did play last season, but was absent this week.

World number 12 Watson said: "On every tee it says no phones, no video cameras and on every tee there's hundreds. It's different - it's not a normal tournament. There's cameras, there's phones, no security. I don't know which holes to walk through - there's no ropes. I'm not saying it's bad, it's just something I'm not used to and not comfortable with. It's very strange to me."

The American was heading home after a bit more sightseeing, but confirmed he will be back for The Open at Sandwich in two weeks. "I'll play the British because it's a major - that's the only reason."

Tournament director David Probyn responded by saying: "We have fully roped fairways, we have marshals. It's an education process in terms of making people understand the way to behave. We've had an incredible number come to see the Open de France the last four or five years, which is fantastic - and that's the main thing I'd like to focus on.

"We, of course, are disappointed that Bubba has had a seemingly unpleasant experience for him. I have to say it's the only comment I've had on it this week, but we will continue to review it. It's a shame Bubba has felt that way, but we hope he will look at it again and that he comes back in the future. He will be very welcome."

Meanwhile back on the leaderboard, Morrison birdied five of his last eight holes for a second successive 66 at Le Golf National near Paris. The 26-year-old from Surrey, who won in Madeira during his rookie season on the European Tour last year, had missed his last four halfway cuts, but he stood ten-under-par, one ahead of Australia's Richard Green. Green's fellow overnight leader Graeme Storm dropped back to two-under after a 75.

Morrison nearly pulled out of the event through illness two days ago. He has suffered from Crohn's Disease - an intestinal inflammation - for the past decade and it flared up again at the start of the week.

"I almost drove home Wednesday morning, but I've had some steroids and it's calming me down," Morrison said. "It's something I've been used to dealing with on a daily basis. I'm feeling a little bit drained, but I play better with that because I don't have expectations. I feel a bit worse for wear and just stroll through the day."Richie Ramsay's eventful summer continued when he added a 68 to his opening 69 to sit five shots behind the leader. A place in the Open is up for grabs this weekend, and for Ramsay it would make up for the disappointment of the US Open last month. He would have been in a qualifying play-off at Walton Heath, but arrived back at the course minutes too late after leaving earlier for Heathrow thinking he had missed out.

Ramsay then flew to Washington DC, however, when Robert Rock had visa problems, but Rock did just make it in time and so the former US Amateur champion missed out again.

Three birdies in five holes at the start of the front nine took Ramsay into a share of top spot at the time, but he failed to get up and down from just short of the seventh green.

Morrison missed out in the qualifier at Sunningdale by one shot three weeks ago, so he too has his sights on the exempt place on offer. Some of the big names were biting the dust, however. Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez had a quadruple-bogey eight on the 13th in an eight-over 79.

Jimenez's Ryder Cup team-mates Francesco Molinari and Peter Hanson were not going to be around for the weekend either, and Darren Clarke looked like missing out too on four-over.

World number four Martin Kaymer, champion two years ago, shot 69 to move to two-under, one better than Colin Montgomerie, who now needs a magical weekend to take the Open spot he so craves.