BRITAIN'S Gillian Stewart set a pace which was matched but not beaten when she fired an opening five under par 67 in the 54 hole women's Danish Open at Vejle yesterday. That left Stewart from Inverness sharing the lead with Australian Anne Marie Knight one stroke clear of Loraine Lambert, another Australian, and Irene Yeoh from Malaysia.

Ireland's trio of Aideen Rogers and Tracy Eakin on 75 and Maureen Madill on 76 were left trailing the leaders. Rogers, who started her round from the 10th tee was soon in trouble with a double bogey six at the 11th but made amends with back to back birdies at the 13th and 14th to turn in 36. Another wayward drive cost Rogers a second double bogey of the day at the third.

. Waterville's David Higgins only just made the halfway out in the £67,000 KB challenge in the Czech Republic. The 23 year old former Irish champion shot a two under par 70 in the second round to leave him on 142, one shot in side the qualifying limit but ten shots the leaders, Greg Owen of England and Joakim Rask of Sweden.