Ireland’s Gareth Maybin saw his French Open hopes literally crumble in his hand on day two of the French Open in Versailles.

Maybin and playing partner, Paul Broadhurst both found the bunker at the last and with Maybin quizzing the former Ryder Cup star if he could remove stones from the bunker.

Broadhurst confirmed he could but when Maybin picked up what he thought was a stone, it crumbled in his hand.

“I thought it was a stone but it turned out to be a hard piece of sand that broke up in my hand,” said Maybin.

Maybin was three under par at the time but before handing in his card he sought out Chief Referee, Andy McFee, a day after McFee had to inform fellow Irishman Damien McGrane his action in taking a penalty drop at the same hole was illegal.

Under the rules, McFee could do nothing but confirm the two-stroke penalty as Maybin was guilty of testing the sand.

He had to sign for  a triple bogey seven and a score of 72.

“I felt really sorry for Gareth as I also removed a stone from the same bunker,” said Broadhurst.

“It was just of those bizarre situations in golf and until the sand broke up in his hand, we both would that thought it was a stone.”

Maybin ended the day sharing the leading Irish honours at level par with Paul Ginley (71) but 10 strokes behind England’s James Morrison.