The Englishman nearly pulled out of the tournament after he was hospitalized on Tuesday night when his Crohn’s disease flared up but the 26-year-old has showed tremendous resolve to reach 10 under par at Le Golf National.

Joint overnight leader Richard Green looked on course to retain his position at the top and had moved to 11 under but a double bogey on his second to last hole proved to be his undoing.

Morrison had a rather sedate start to proceedings after going level par through the back nine but exploded into life by picking up five shots in an unblemished round to equal his score from Thursday.

Australian Green, who also started his round through the back nine looked to be going along smoothly and had three successive birdies at the second, third and fourth before disaster struck at the seventh to leave him on 9 under par.

Mark Foster lies three shots back after compiling 68 for the second day in a row and he admitted he was looking to take advantage of any slip ups Morrison or Green may make.

He said: “You can never be too far ahead, that is for sure. So obviously these guys that are playing exceptionally well, they have gone well clear, but I’ll be looking at staying solid and maybe assessing nearer the time.

“I’ve had a tendency not to take form into the following weeks and I was quite conscious off that when I came out. Practiced well and kept myself quiet and out of the way. Striking it well and pleased.”

Richie Ramsay and Thorbjørn Olesen are in a tie for fourth at five under, with the former looking particularly impressive.

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

Former Ryder Cup player Paul Broadhurst, who won the title back in 1995, and Thongchai Jaidee are at four under, while world No. 4 Martin Kaymer is one of 10 players two shots behind.

Defending champion Miguel Angel Jiménez will miss the cut after making an eight over par 79.

Fellow 2010 Ryder Cup players Francesco Molinari, Peter Hanson and Bubba Watson are among the other high profile casualties.