SOUTH KOREANS, PHILIPPINES SHARE LEAD IN WOMEN'S

WORLD CUP OF GOLF

FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE:

The weather may be bad but Dorothy Delasin and Jennifer Rosales from the Philippines proved to be the perfect pairing as they fired a four-under-par 68 - the best round of the day - in today's second-day foursomes at the Women’s World Cup of Golf.

The duo finished on 11-under-par 133 after two rounds on the Gary Player Course at Sun City, South Africa, following a 65 in Friday’s better-ball round. They moved into a share of the lead with South Koreans Ji-Yai Shin and Eun-Hee Ji, who added a level par 72 to their first round better-ball score of 61.

Before play was delayed for inclement weather at lunch time, the South Korean team held a four stroke lead over the Philippines and Taiwan, the latter carding a 69 to go into Sunday’s final round better-ball in third place on a total of nine under par 135.

The Koreans arrived at the par-4 17th on 14 under par and in control of the tournament with a three-shot lead. However, they ran up a triple bogey 7 at the penultimate hole after they landed in a water hazard, meaning that the Korean pair would have to take a penalty shot two club lengths from where the ball had finished in the hazard.

Playing alternate shots, the team’s third shot was short of the green and then the Koreans three-putted.“I was really confused about how to hit the first shot,” said Ji. “Shin Ji-Yai told me to hit the ball in confidence and so I hit the ball in confidence but the ball was on the left of the water hazard.”

Despite this error, South Korea were one of only three teams to shoot under par on a day when the golf course showed its notorious teeth. Only two teams, the Philippines and Taiwan, shot in the 60s, while the Welsh pair of Becky Brewerton and Becky Morgan returned a 71.

South Korea will be favourites to take the title on Sunday.

In the inaugural World Cup in 2005 they finished runners-up to Japan. Two years ago they were fifth, and last year they finished third behind winners Paraguay and the United States.

“Our style of play is very aggressive so we will try to take the chances we have,” said the teenaged Shin, who is the No 1 player on the Korean LPGA Tour.

The Philippines had a brilliant finish to their round with birdies at each of their last three holes. After a steady 35 on their outward nine, they came back in 33.

Delasin and Rosales are seasoned campaigners on the LPGA Tour and they said they would approach Sunday’s final round just the same as the first two days.

“We’re really going to give it a good go,” Rosales explained. “At the same time we’re going to have fun. We haven’t stopped laughing on the course all week. It’s been great.”

South Africa will have to shoot in the low 60s on Sunday if they are to emulate Rugby Union's Springboks and win the World Cup. The pair of Laurette Maritz and Ashleigh Simon struggled to make putts today after some decent approach shots, and lie in ninth place on a total of four under par 140.

Scotland's Catriona Matthew and Mhairi McKay had a 73 for a tally of 141, which lifted them up to a share of 10th place.

Wales' Becky Brewerton and Becky Morgan are the leading British pairing in joint fifth place on 138. They scored 71 in the foursomes round.

England's Trish Johnson and Danielle Masters are joint 15th on 143 after struggling to put together a 76 in the foursomes for 143.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

Par 144 (2 x 72)
133 Philippines (Jennifer Rosales & Dorothy Delasin) 65 68, South Korea (Ji-Yai Shin & Eun-Hee Ji) 61 72
135 Taiwan (Amy Hung & Yung-jye Wei) 66 69
137 Canada (Alena Sharp & Lorie Kane) 64 73
138 Japan (Shinobu Moromizato & Miki Saiki) 66 72, Wales (Becky Brewerton & Becky Morgan) 67 71, France (Gwladys Nocera & Virginie Lagoutte-Clement) 62 76
139 Paraguay (Juliete Granda & Celeste Troche) 66 73
140 South Africa (Laurette Mauritz & Ashleigh Simon) 68 72
141 Brazil (Angela Park & Candy Hannemann) 68 73, Scotland (Catriona Matthew & Mhairi McKay) 68 73, United States (Juli Inkster & Pat Hurst) 65 76
142 China (Na Zhang & Chung Wang) 67 75, Sweden (Sophie Gustafson & Maria Hjorth) 65 77
143 England (Trish Johnson & Danielle Masters) 67 76
146 Australia (Lindsey Wright & Nikki Garrett) 68 78
147 Germany (Bettina Hauert & Martina Eberl) 69 78
148 Spain (Paula Marti & Tania Elosequi) 69 79
149 Italy (Sylvia Cavalleri & Diana Luna) 73 76
154 India (Simi Mehra & Irina Brar) 70 84