Havret leads, Montgomerie shoots 70 at Gleneagles

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GLENEAGLES, Scotland (AP) -- Gregory Havret shot a 2-under 71 on Friday to hold a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Johnnie Walker Championship, while Colin Montgomerie's 70 boosted his chance of a Ryder Cup selection.

Montgomerie, the veteran of eight Ryder Cup teams, needs a victory or close to it to persuade European captain Nick Faldo to make him one of the two wild-card picks on Sunday for the match next month against the Americans at Valhalla outside Louisville, Ky.

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Colin Montgomerie has been a Ryder Cup staple in the last decade, but he will need a Captain's pick to make the team this year.

He was tied for 13th, five strokes off the lead.

"I have to show form to have any chance. If I win, I have a sporting chance, but I don't necessarily have to win," he said.

Oliver Wilson, meanwhile, seemed to have sealed an automatic berth on the European team by just making the cut at 2 over. Wilson holds the 10th spot in the European Ryder Cup standings -- with the top 10 making the team -- and could only miss out if Ross Fisher finishes at least second or Nick Dougherty places in the top three in the tournament on Sunday. After Friday's round, they sit in 37th and 22nd place, respectively.

"I knew if I missed the cut, it was pretty much over," Wilson said. "I've given myself a chance."

Martin Kaymer, who is 11th in the cup standings, missed the cut by a stroke.

Justin Rose and Soren Hansen consolidated their eighth and ninth places in the standings earlier in the day, meaning the list of 10 names who qualify automatically is all but set: Padraig Harrington, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson, Robert Karlsson, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Graeme McDowell, Rose, Hansen and, probably, Wilson.

Havret was at a 7-under 139 total, while Robert Rock was second on 140 after a 70 on Friday. Bradley Dredge (70) and Peter Whiteford (68) shared third on 141.

Darren Clarke, another Cup veteran seeking a wild card, struggled on the greens and shot a 73, missing three putts from within two feet in a round that included 34 putts.

Rose shot 71 to sit level with Montgomerie. Hansen also had a 71 but hurt his wrist playing a shot out of the rough at the 12th. He said he did not think the injury was serious.

Wilson said he was proud of himself for battling back from 6 over, rescuing himself with an eagle and two birdies over the last 10 holes.

"It was the biggest round of golf in my career," he said.

Though he birdied the first hole, he double bogeyed the third and bogeyed Nos. 6 and 7.

"I was just struggling. I wasn't thinking clearly out there. So I gave myself a talking to and told myself to stay patient and not force it too much," he said.

Montgomerie birdied four of his first 12 holes after starting on the 10th and dropped his only shot at the eighth hole, his 17th, where he three-putted.

"A 70 is an OK around here. It proves I made the (right) decision not to play Holland last week and come here for practice," he said. "I'm disappointed not to have done better because I didn't convert chances at the sixth and seventh and didn't birdie the last."

Two other contenders for wild-card selection, Paul Casey and Ian Poulter, are playing in the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston this weekend.

Captain Nick Faldo will announce his two picks late Sunday.

Clarke, winner of the Dutch Open last Sunday, which put him back in the wild-card hunt, said he struck the ball better Friday than in his opening 72.

"But the greens got me," he said. "I had 34 putts. From tee to green, I'm playing as well as I did last week."

Clarke has played in the last five Ryder Cups, four of which were won by Europe.

"I just have to keep playing well and avoid the footprints on the greens," he said.