Wayward Davies trails by three

Laura Davies chipped to within an inch, walked forward, reversed the wedge and tapped the ball into the hole with the toe of the club. She paused while her playing partners, Sweden's Maria Hjorth and defending champion Sandrine Mendiburu holed out and then briskly headed for the clubhouse, declining any media intrusion.

Instead of possibly leading the Waterford Crystal Ladies Irish Open golf championship, she found herself three shots adrift of 21-year-old French girl Marine Monnet. Two lost balls scuppered a promising second round.

The European number one, pushed a drive right on the second and equally calamitous was a three iron tee shot on the par four, 17th which she lost left. Davies's 72 leave her tied with Hjorth (73), Lynette Brooky (73) and Natasha Fink (73), one shot behind Vibike Stensrud (74) and three adrift of Monnet. The French girl, in her rookie season on tour, shot a one under par 71 for a half-way total of six-underpar 138.

Six over (150) proved the cut off point for the weekend and unfortunately only two Irish players survived, leading amateur Suzie O'Brien and Aideen Rogers. O'Brien demonstrated grit and determination in grinding out 16 pars and a couple of bogeys for a fine two over par 74.

Rogers is one shot further back after a second round 73. "I played worse today and was two shots better off."