Sporting Digest: Golf

RODGER DAVIS, of Australia, yesterday won the the Air France Cannes Open, nine days after missing the halfway cut in the Catalan Open by nine strokes. He beat Zimbabwe's Mark McNulty, winner in 1988 and 1990, with a par four at the first play-off hole after Jamie Spence let slip a two-stroke lead over the closing stretch.

AIR FRANCE CANNES OPEN (Cannes Mougins) Leading final-round scores (GB and Irl unless stated): 271 R Davis (Aus) 68 64 69 70; M McNulty (Zim) 69 70 68 64 (Davis won after play- off). 272 P Fulke (Swe) 66 66 72 68; J Spence 68 67 66 71. 273 A Forsbrand (Swe) 68 68 68 69. 274 M Harwood (Aus) 69 71 68 66; J Coceres (Arg) 69 69 66 70. 275 B Marchbank 66 70 71 68; C Mason 68 70 68 69; B Lane 68 68 68 71. 276 A Murray 70 68 71 67; M Pinero (Sp) 69 66 70 71. 277 P Way 72 68 67 70; M Mackenzie 70 70 67 70. 278 G Cali (It) 68 70 72 68; J Hobday (SA) 70 69 71 68; T Johnstone (Zim) 73 66 70 69; J Parnevik (Swe) 70 69 70 69; S McAllister 72 68 68 70.

HOUSTON OPEN Leading second-round scores (US unless stated): 129 B McCallister 64 65. 131 J McGovern 67 64; J Huston 65 66. 132 D Hammond 67 65; L Mize 68 64. 134 L Roberts 67 67; P Stewart 66 68; J Maggert 66 68. 135 J Flannery 65 70; S Hoch 68 67; R Black 67 68; S Pate 67 68; B Crenshaw 67 68; J Haas 68 67; S Elkington (Aus) 70 65. 136 F Allem 66 70; B Britton 67 69; F Funk 69 67; A Magee 68 68; T Byrum 70 66; J Sluman 68 68; B Kamm 72 64. 137 B Wadkins 66 71; P H Horgan III 69 68; T Sieckmann 68 69; P Persons 69 68; J Leonard 69 68; D Ogrin 67 70; G Morgan 67 70; H Taylor 68 69.

ALFRED DUNHILL CUP Qualifying tournament (Taipei; first eight to final at St Andrews in October) Final scores: 1= South Africa (R Wessels, R Goosen, E Els) and Sweden (M Lanner, F Lindgren, J Haeggman) 556; 3 Mexico 566; 4 Argentina 568; 5 Canada 569; 6= Paraguay and Republic of China 570; 8 Wales (P Parkin, D Llewellyn, P Price) 574.

LPGA SPRING CLASSIC (Tallahassee, Fla) Leading third-round scores (US unless stated): 207 K Albers 66 69 72. 208 B Burton 73 67 68; J Carner 72 65 71. 210 L Neumann (Swe) 69 73 68; R Walton 71 70 69; T Green 72 66 72; M Figueras- Dotti (Sp) 71 65 74.

VOLVO EUROPEAN ORDER OF MERIT: 1 D Gilford (Eng) pounds 145,582; 2 M James (Eng) pounds 122,236; 3 F Nobilo (NZ) pounds 119,447; 4 S Torrance (Sco) pounds 117,608; 5 C Rocca (It) pounds 115,935; 6 W Westner (SA) pounds 99,980; 7 N Faldo (Eng) pounds 95,325; 8 C Montgomerie (Sco) pounds 89,173; 9 J Payne (Eng) pounds 82,604; 10 D W Basson (SA) pounds 81,981.

RYDER CUP Leading European standings (GB unless stated): 1 B Lane 299,222pts; 2 C Montgomerie 239,426; 3 N Faldo 228,527; 4 J Spence 210,577; 5 M James 195,659; 6 D Gilford 175,455; 7 A Lyle 172,109; 8 B Langer (Ger) 164,751; 9 S Richardson 164,002; 10 M A Jimenez (Sp) 161,678; 11 C Rocca (It) 160,166; 12 J Payne 152,106.