Gary Orr kept his run of good form going yesterday with a three-under-par 70 that left him in a four-way tie for second place, two behind the leader, Gregory Havret, of France, and leading Scot among the 22 in the field.

On a windy day over the PGA Centenary course, Orr had the advantage of playing early before the greens worsened in the afternoon, and he had less trouble on the putting surfaces than most.

The 41-year-old from Helensburgh, joint fourth in the SAS Masters in Sweden a fortnight ago and joint eighth last week in the KLM Open in Holland, is at No.82 in Europe and virtually assured of his playing rights next year after a fraught season on a medical exemption.

He missed much of last year with a back ailment and to stay loose he now has to exercise daily and for a minimum of 20 minutes after each round.

"I missed a load of events that I wanted to play at the start of the season because my ranking was down," he said, "but I've been playing well for the last two weeks. I'm solid tee to green and I've been holing a few putts."

A 25-footer dropped yesterday for a 2 at the 10th, his first, and another from 15 feet for a birdie 3 at the 14th in a round marred by only one bogey at the sixth, where a 10-footer for par was on track before it bumped off line.

Havret, 31, is the winner of last year's Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond, and is playing for the first time since the Open at Royal Birkdale where he was joint 19th.

"I planned to take four weeks off but at the end I felt I needed another one to enjoy my family and the summer in France," said Havret, who has a two-year-old daughter Jeanne.

He was the only player to break 70 yesterday and he did so by two shots. After a bogey at the first he played "really solid golf" that featured six birdies, three in a row from the short fourth.

Two other Scots equalled par, rookie Peter Whiteford, who came back in three-under 34 on the way back, and defending champion Marc Warren, who compiled his round in the tougher late conditions, a position that will be reversed today.

Andrew Oldcorn, the former PGA champion, withdrew after covering holes No.10-18 in four over-par 41. After recent eye surgery he complained of being unable to focus.

In the race for the last automatic Ryder Cup places, Oliver Wilson, who is in the hot seat of 10th place, was down the field after a 76, while the best of those trying to unseat him was Ross Fisher, with a 72.