THE WEATHER'S WORSE AT BALGOWNIE

Rachel Jennings takes 52 for inward half as Balgownie weather worsens Great Britain & Ireland international team player Rachel Jennings crashed out of contention for the British women's open amateur golf championship at very wet and very windy Balgownie today. Rachel, who played in the recent Vagliano Trophy match against the Continent of Europe in Hamburg, had been up with the leaders after an opening round of 76, a good score in the high winds of Wednesday. But the weather was even worse today with the wind rising from 30mph to 40mph gusts and lashing the players with rain. Jennings returned an 18-over-par second-round score of 90, then said: "It was awful out there. I took 52 shots for the second nine into the wind and rain. That's the first time since I was about 14 years old that I have scored as high as a 90." Rachel has her 21st birthday next week. She did not have a single par on the inward half. She had a quadruple bogey 9 at the 12th and doubles at the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th. Playing partner and Vagliano Trophy team-mate Danielle McVeigh from Northern Ireland showed that it was possible to break 80 even in the horrendous conditions. She had a 79 to be the early clubhouse leader on 10-over-par 154. "I played better than I did in Wednesday's wind and scored four shots worse but it is much more difficult out there today, very unpleasant weather." McVeigh, winner of the Welsh women's open amateur stroke-play championship earlier in the season, had birdies at the long second and long sixth but had a double bogey 6 at the ninth to give back the shots she had gained. She had another double bogey 6 at the 10th but covered the remaining eight holes in four over par, which was good going in the wind and rain. Ellie Givens (Darlington), who had a first-round 90, withdrew this morning because she was not feeling well and Carrie MacKenzie (Beauchief), who scored 103 on Wednesday, was another to pull out today. Annabel Niven (Crieff) was another No Return today Local player Linda Urquhart (Banchory), after an 89 in the first round, decided she was going to have a 'No Return' by the time she reached the turn today. With the weather so awful, it was almost certain that many would follow her example. Europe's No 1 ranked female amateur Lucie Andre from Lyon, France, overnight leader with a one-over-par 73, took 40 shots - four over par - to reach the turn in her second round. There was a chance that if the wind increased even just a little, the conditions might be declared unplayable. There were reports of stationary golf balls being moved by the wind.

EARLY SECOND ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72).
154 Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down) 75 79.
162 Charlotte Ellis (Minchinhampton) 79 83, Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) 83 79, Alexandra Peters (Notts Ladies) 79 83..
163 Roseanne Niven (Crieff) 81 82.
164 Eleana Collins (US) 80 84.
165 Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa) 81 84.
166 Tara Davies (Holyhead) 85 81, Rachel Jennings (IzaakWalton) 76 90..
167 Laure Castelain (France) 79 88.
169 Julie Maisongrosse (France) 83 86.
170 Sarah Faller (Galgway) 82 88.
175 Tessa de Bruijn (Netherlands) 85 90.
179 Sheena Wood (Aberdeen Ladies) 84 89, Mhairi Johnstone (Northern) 88 91.
184 Monique Smit (South Africa) 87 97, Dianne Galbraith (Canada) 88 96.
Withdrew: Ellie Givens (Blackwell Grange) 90 - , Carrie MacKenzie (Beauchief) 103 -.
No Returns: Linda Urquhart (Banchory) 89 NR, Annabel Niven (Crieff) 99 NR..