WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN:Japan's Yuri Fudoh and South Korean Shin Ji-yai shot matching rounds of 68 to tie for the halfway lead on 10-under-par 134 at the women's British Open yesterday.
American 48-year-old Juli Inkster, the first round leader on 65, was in third place on nine-under-par after a 70, while lurking dangerously on seven under was defending champion Lorena Ochoa.
On a day of tough, blustery, conditions the Mexican world number one was one of the few to better her first round score.
With a handful of birdies in a 68, Ochoa warned her rivals: "I like my chances. It was very hard with the wind today, but I played well and I'm feeling very good for the weekend."
One player mightily relieved to make the halfway cut was Annika Sorenstam, who is playing in her 57th and final major.
The Swedish former world number one, who has 10 majors among 88 worldwide titles, made it with a shot to spare on level par after a second successive 72.
The 2003 champion had looked in real danger of missing out when she dropped three shots in a row from the fifth, but a similar run of birdies from the ninth repaired the damage.
Sorenstam, who has only missed the cut four times in majors, said: "It's disappointing, because I wanted to come here and enjoy it and not be worried about playing at the weekend.
"But I seem to have struggled ever since I made the announcement (in May) that I would be stepping away from the tour at the end of the season. It's always the same story, I play 15 good holes and the others cost me too much."
Fudoh had three birdies and eagled the long 10th from seven feet, while the 20-year-old Shin also eagled the 10th, hitting her second shot to two feet.
All three Irish players missed the cut which fell at one-over-par 145. Martina Gillen shot 75 for 149, Clare Coughlan-Ryan added a 76 for 153 and Rebecca Coakley a 77 for 156.
SENIOR US OPEN:American Fred Funk, who eagled the par-five third on his way to an opening five-under-par 65 added a second round 69 to claim the early halfway lead in the US Senior Open in Colorado Springs yesterday.
The 52-year-old, a three-times winner on the Champions Tour, had five birdies in halves of 33 and 36 to take control at The Broadmoor Resort.
Mark McNulty added a second round 68 for a share of second place with Tom Kite on 138. McNulty had nines of 34 while Kite shot 71.
US TOUR:Parker McLachin fired a 10-under-par 62 to take the early lead on 130 in the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open at Montreux Golf and Country Club, Reno, Nevada yesterday.
McLachin, who shot five birdies on each nine, leads by four from John Merrick, with Bob Estes a shot back on 135 after a 68. Michelle Wie was well off the mark after an 80 for 153.
ILGU INTERPROVINCIALS:Leinster won their fifth consecutive Interprovincial title in East Clare GC yesterday when they beat Munster 7½-1½ in the final series of matches, while Connacht finished second after a 7-2 win over Ulster.
Tara Delaney and Maura Morrin both achieved five out of six wins which lead Leinster to the title. Tara defeated Munster's Gillian O'Leary by one hole and Morrin beat Catherine Tucker by two holes.
Meanwhile, Connacht took all three foursomes on their way to a surprisingly easy win over Ulster.
Niamh Kitching and Sarah Faller beat Danielle McVeigh and Gemma Hegarty. The new pairing of Darragh McGowan and Ann Geoghegan combined brilliantly to overcome Ulster's Charlene Reid and Lucy Simpson, while Sinéad O'Sullivan andAnne McCormack beat Bronagh Lunney and Louise Coffey.
