WEETABIX WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN

CATRIONA, HEATHER AND MHAIRI
FAIL TO BEAT HALFWAY CUT

Shades of the men's Open. All three Scots in the field for the Weetabix Women's British Open failed to survive the halfway cut at Royal Lytham & St Annes today. Only those players with seven-over-par 151 or better made it.

Catriona Matthew, after a first-round 75, had a bogey 5 at the 16th and a double bogey 6 at the last. That meant a second-round 79 for 154 - three shots too many for the pregnant Scot.

Dunblane amateur Heather MacRae totalled 162 with an 82 and 80 while Mhairi McKay was the big disappointment - a pair of 82s for 164.

The biggest surprise of the non-qualifiers was undoubtedly Australian Karrie Webb, winner of the big-money Evian Masters last week. This week - 76 and 82 for 158, a distant eight shots above the limit.

Rebecca Hudson, too, who has been showing a bit of form, quietly departed with an 82 and 77 for 159.

Up at the sharp end of the championship, 40-something American Juli Inkster continues to bowl along in the lead with a 66 and 72 for six-under-par 138.

She looked certain to be joined in the pole position by Silvia Cavalerri until the Italian ran up a triple bogey 7 at the 17th and thus added a 72, instead of a 69, to her opening 69. On 141, Silvia is on her own in second place on 141, Maria Hjorth from Sweden having fallen back into the pack.

Four players share third place on 142, including England's former championship winner Karen Stupples (73-69) and Kent-born Australian Lindsey Wright (71-71).

Annika Sorenstam and Paula Creamer are two of the players on 143, only five shots off the pace and poised for a run at the lead over the final 36 holes.

Laura Davies has not been able to better par, only match it with a pair of 72s for 144.

No Michelle Wie magic on the links of Lytham St Annes. Two 74s for four-over-par 148 is not super-star stuff at all.

Mind you, another of the American whizz kids, teenager Morgan Pressel, has not done anything to keep the headline writers busy. Morgan has shot two 75s to be just one shot inside the qualifying limit.

SECOND ROUND TOTALS (Par 72)

LEADING QUALIFIERS
138 (-6) Juli Inkster (US) 66 72.

141 Silvia Cavalleri (Ita) 69 72.
142 Candie Kiung (Tai) 72 70, Karen Stupples (Eng) 73 69, Lindsey Wright (Aus) 71 71, Lorie Kane (Can) 73 68.
Other scores:
143 Annika Sorenstam (Swe) 72 71, Paula Creamer (US) 72 71.
144 Laura Davies (Eng) 72 72.
148 Michelle Wie 74 74.
149 Becky Brewerton (Wal) 76 73.
150 Morgan Pressel (US) 75 75, Becky Morgan (Wal) 77 73.

MISSED CUT (151 or better)

154 Catriona Matthew (Sco) 75 79.
158 Karrie Webb (Aus) 76 82.
159 Rebecca Hudson (Eng) 82 77
162 Heather MacRae (Sco) (am) 82 80.
164 Mhairi McKay (Sco) 82 82.


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