Reid has point to prove

Dale Reid, the Scot who guided Europe to victory in last year's Solheim Cup, will be out to prove she is still a force to be reckoned with in the WPGA International Matchplay tournament at the PGA Centenary course at Gleneagles beginning today.

The 42-year-old veteran meets Sandrine Mendiburu of France in the first round and if victorious she will go through to meet one of the Tour's new young guns, Spain's Paula Marti.

"I love matchplay and I just wish we got the chance to play it more often," said Reid, who warmed up for this tournament with a course record 66 in the final round of last week's Dutch Open.

The seeded players will not enter the fray until tomorrow, and Laura Davies, who won on her last visit to Gleneagles at the 1999 WPGA Championship of Europe, is among the favourites.

Seeded fourth, the Briton is desperate to win in her last Evian European Tour event of the year. "I haven't won in Europe for two years now, and it would be great to do it this week," she said. "I love matchplay. It's a different game because you can really go for your shots."

The Swede Sophie Gustafsson, a winner on both the LPGA and European Tours this year, is the No 1 seed, with Scotland's Catriona Matthew, who is ranked ninth on the LPGA money-list and won the 1998 WPGA Championship of Europe at Gleneagles, seeded second.

"It is so nice to be playing in Scotland again and, after such a great season, I'm feeling very confident," said the 32-year-old, who is due to meet the in-form Karine Icher of France in her opening tie which is to be played tomorrow afternoon.