Golf

England's world No 1, Laura Davies, teamed up with American John Daly to score 63 and leave them in the three-way tie for the lead after the opening round of the pounds 1m J C Penney Classic at Tarpon Springs in Florida yesterday. The Swedish pair Annika Sorenstam and Jesper Parnevik and Americans Donna Andrews and Mike Hulbert are also on the nine-under-par total in an event which pairs players from the US PGA and LPGA Tours. Scotland's Caroline Pierce and American partner John Morse scored 68 while England's Trish Johnson and Lawrence Farmer are back on 74.

end Thomas Bjorn, who became the first Danish player to win on the European tour when he won the Loch Lomond World Invitational in September, has become the 32nd recipient of the coveted Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award.

Ireland's Tracy Eakin remains on the heels of the front runners despite slipping back with a third round of 76 in the American Express European Tour qualifying school at La Manga Club in Spain yesterday. Eakin finished at two over par on 216 and starts the final round today just four strokes off the new leader, Vibeke Stensrud of Norway, who leads on 212 following a round of 70.