Davies finds magic touch to keep Stupples in range

Laura Davies had an dreadful start and a fantastic finish to stay in joint-second place here at the Evian Masters - as her fellow Briton Karen Stupples took the lead at half-way.

Laura Davies had an dreadful start and a fantastic finish to stay in joint-second place here at the Evian Masters - as her fellow Briton Karen Stupples took the lead at half-way.

The 31-year-old from Kent produced a best-of-the-day 66 to move to 10-under-par 134 and lead by a shot from Davies and the two-time former champion Annika Sorenstam.

Davies, the first-round leader on 64, had a disastrous run of four bogeys in the first five holes, but hit back with two birdies and then saved the best for last by hitting a four iron second shot 212 yards to six feet for an eagle three at the 18th.

Davies said: "It was a ridiculous start - I considered walking off the course and into the beer tent after the fifth hole."

"But I was actually only four shots behind so I knew all wasn't lost - and obviously, the 18th was a perfect way to finish."

Stupples won her first tournament as a professional in Tucson in March, just a couple of weeks after she had finished runner-up to Sorenstam in the Masters in Australia.

Stupples said: "Annika doesn't play against her partner, she plays against the course and tries to win by as many shots as possible. That's a good lesson, because you never know who's going to come out on a roll."

Michelle Wie, the 14-year-old American amateur, finished in a tie for 26th on two under.