Ramsey leads the way at Wales Open

Scotland's Richie Ramsay has set the pace Friday to take an early lead at the Wales Open where former U.S. Open champion Corey Pavin is likely to miss the halfway cut.

Pavin, the 2010 U.S. Ryder Cup captain, shot a second successive 1-over 72 at Celtic Manor, the course where his American team will defend the trophy next year.

He was a longshot to play the weekend on 2-over with the cut likely to fall on 1-over or better when the second half of the field had completed the second round.

"I wanted to play the weekend but it looks as if I'm probably going to miss by one," he said. "I didn't play well my first 10 holes. I think I hit one fairway and short and crooked is a bad combination."

Pavin, who shot rounds of 66 and 65 at the Colonial in Texas at the weekend for a share of 18th place, is compiling a report on the 2010 course to deliver to potential team members on his return home.

"I'll tell them it's a very fair course. Everything is in front of them and there are no tricks to this golf course," he said. "There are a few decisions you have to make on a few holes but, for the most part, what you see is what you get."

Ramsay, the 26-year-old U.S. Amateur champion in 2006, shot a 4-under 67 to take the lead on 135, seven under par.

The English duo of Robert Rock, runner-up in the recent Irish Open to amateur Shane Lowry, and Ross Fisher, second in the BMW PGA, were a stroke behind.

Fisher shot a 66 while Rock was two shots behind on 68.

Fisher, who started at the 11th hole, made eight birdies in his round.

Rock reached 8-under with five holes remaining, but dropped four shots before a birdie at his last hole.

First round co-leader David Frost was a late starter.

After his round, Ramsay rued missed opportunities that would have improved his 67.

"I didn't miss a green and I was mostly inside 10 or 12 feet," he said. "I missed three birdie putts inside six feet."

Ramsay is in his first full year on tour and has had two top-20 finishes along with a number of missed cuts to his name in recent weeks.

Colin Montgomerie, Pavin's European counterpart as Ryder Cup captain, was in contention after a second straight 69, just five days after finishing the European Open with a triple bogey seven.

"I started birdie, birdie, birdie this morning, which was great. That got me on the leaderboard, which was different," said the Scot, who has played poorly in recent weeks.