Fabrizio Zanotti in front at European Tour's French Open

PARIS, July 5 (UPI) -- Fabrizio Zanotti turned in a 3-under-par 68 Friday to move into the lead of the European Tour's French Open.

Zanotti had four birdies and a bogey -- coming in the par-4 12th hole where Zanotti had a 6 in Thursday's first round -- in moving from third into the lead by one stroke over Thomas Bjorn, Soren Kjeldsen and Richard Sterne.

Kjeldsen matched Zanotti's 68 in the second round, also with four birdies and a bogey. Bjorn and Sterne, who both had three bogeys, each shot 69 Friday.

Simon Dyson (68 Friday), Stephen Gallacher (70), Graeme McDowell (69) and Graeme Storm (68) are tied for fifth, two strokes off the lead.

First-round leader Andres Hansen battled through a seven-bogey, one-double bogey day en route to a 7-over 78. He dropped into a tie for 44th at 2-over for the tournament.

Zanotti, still looking for his first European Tour win 10 years after turning professional, opened play Friday with a birdie and added another at the third hole. A birdie at No. 9 allowed him to mark the turn in 3-under alone on the lead.

But the bogey at 12 pulled him back before he made a long birdie putt at 14 to retake the lead. A string of pars to close the round kept him in front.