Golf: Fairclough takes the honours

LORA FAIRCLOUGH held the chasing pack at bay with a second round of 72 in the Evian Masters in Evian, France, yesterday. With a four-under-par halfway aggregate of 140, the Lancashire woman leads by three strokes from the West Country player, Trish Johnson, with Sweden's Helen Alfredsson and Sarah Gautrey of Australia one stroke further behind.

Laura Davies recovered after dropping shots at each of the opening three holes to hand in a 75, which leaves her 11 strokes off the lead.

Fairclough showed no signs of nerves as she parred the first 13 holes, before dropping her first shot of the week at the short 14th. She then stepped up a gear, with birdies at the long 15th and 18th holes.