Golf Doolan out at the front

Golf

BILL JOHNSON

reports from Cologne

Wendy Doolan, of Australia, overcame early nerves to score a second round of 68 for an 11-under-par aggregate of 133 to extend her overnight lead in the Hennessy Cup in sweltering conditions here yesterday.

Doolan who has never been in front at the half-way stage of a tournament leads by three from Britain's Trish Johnson who shot 66 to share second place with American Jane Geddes.

"I was shaking for the first four holes but tried to keep hitting my drives on to the fairway and left the rest take care of itself," Doolan, who settled down with back-to-back birdies at the fourth and fifth holes, said.

Doolan then holed from 10 feet for a four at the ninth and after a string of par figures recovered from the sand to 10 feet for a birdie at the final hole.

Johnson, winner of the tournament at St Germain in 1990, has not won in Europe since 1992, but the following year completed two consecutive victories on the LPGA Tour in the United States.

"Most of my problems have been on the greens but this is my best putting round for some time," said Johnson, who gathered seven birdies in her round only to drop a shot at the long 18th where a birdie beckoned.

At the 18th Johnson pushed her drive into the trees then hit her recovery into the rough across the fairway. She then struck her wedge approach downwind through the green for her six. Geddes meanwhile made up ground by holing from 25 feet for an eagle three at the same hole.

Laura Davies did manage to shave eight strokes off her opening 79, but on 150 the world No 1 is now 17 strokes off the pace.

HENNESSY CUP (Cologne) Leading second-round scores (GB or Irl unless stated): 133 W Doolan (Aus) 65 68. 136 T Johnson 70 66; J Geddes (US) 67 69. 137 K Orum (Den) 71 66; C Dibnah (Aus) 70 67. 138 H Wadsworth 72 66; A Sorenstam (Swe) 68 70. 139 S Prosser 73 66; L Neumann (Swe) 71 68; R Hetherington (Aus) 70 69; M-L de Lorenzi (Fr) 69 70; A Nicholas 69 73. 140 H Alfredsson (Swe) 73 67; J Morley 70 70; E Orley (Swit) 68 72. 141 L Fairclough 73 68; K Webb (Aus) 71 70. 142 G Stewart 72 70; J Forbes 72 70; L Maritz-Atkins (SA) 71 71; S Gronberg (Swe) 69 73. 143 C Sorenstam (Swe) 74 69; M Lunn (Aus) 72 71; M Hageman (Neth) 69 74; K Davies 68 75. 144 S Dallongeville (Fr) 75 69; J McGill (US) 72 72; S Waugh (Aus) 72 72. Selected: 150 L Davies 79 71.