FOUR WAY TIE AT THE TOP
OF THE WEETABIX

The final round of the �1 million Weetabix Women's British Open is under way at Sunningdale GC in Berkshire and four players are tied for the lead, including the Scots pair Catriona Matthew and Janice Moodie, South Korean Mi Hyun Kim and a fast moving American Laura Diaz.

England's Lora Fairclough, playing in the last group with Matthew is still on eight under par, one ahead of six players on seven under, including England's Trish Johnson, Spain's Raquel Carriedo and Korean Se Ri Pak.

Diaz set the course alight came from way back in the field, starting the day at three under par. But with birdies at all six of her opening holes, she turned in a blistering 30, adding another birdie at the par five 10th to tie the lead.

The 26-year-old from New York is regarded as the best player never to have won a tournament on the LPGA Tour, having finished runner up four times so far since turning professional in 1999.

Matthew, the overnight leader, birdied the opening hole to move to ten under and in the group in front, compatriot Moodie carded two opening birdies at the two par fives to sit alongside her.

The two are hoping to become not only the first Scots to win a Women's major
championship, but also become the first British born winner of this event since Penny Grice Whittaker in 1991.

Kim started with a birdie at the first, following it up with a birdie at the third hole to move into contention for her first major. The 1999 LPGA Rookie of the year has won three times on the American circuit and many feel that she is ready for the major league.

The challenges from World number one Karrie Webb and England's Laura Davies
have not materialised as Webb, despite opening with a birdie, dropped two shots in her next five holes to move back one shot to five under par.

Davies vowed to attack the course, but her luck ran out at the opening hole. The big hitter from nearby West Byfleet was in easy reach with her second shot to the green on the par five and the ball, which was seemingly heading for the middle of the green took an unlucky bounce off a badly placed rake.

A greenkeeper left the rake halfway out of the greenside bunker and her ball ricocheted off it and nestled below the lip. At her first attempt of extraction from the sand, the ball rebounded off the bunker lip and hit her club, costing her a one-stroke penalty.

She bravely battle to make a bogey, but sadly, the incident appears to have cost her valuable momentum as she bogeyed the third and fourth holes to drop out of the hunt, and with it, her chance to enter the LPGA Hall of Fame. If she wins today, she would add the last two points she needs to enter.