Matthew, Sergas share early lead at British Open

LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England (AP) — Catriona Matthew of Scotland hit a hole in one in a 5-under 67 Friday to share the early lead with Giulia Sergas of Italy in the second round of the Women's British Open.

Sergas also shot 67 after making five birdies on the back nine. Both players have totaled 3-under 141 at Royal Lytham and St. Annes links course. [See our leaderboard for updates.]

Matthew eagled the 11th and followed up with an ace on the 12th. She then made four more birdies against a lone bogey for a back nine of 30.

Matthew said play was easier because the wind had eased from Thursday.

Paula Creamer had a 74 and Michelle Wie shot 75. Creamer, who made no birdies in her opening 75, had to wait until the 11th hole for her first.

Wie took two shots to get out of a fairway bunker at the last hole.

Kimura lifts Rapids past visiting FCDFunk leads by three shots at Senior British Open

Norman's magic produces share of Senior Open lead

CARMEL, Ind. (AP) — Greg Norman looked like his old self Thursday.

There were the trademark drives, the string of birdies and those customary big crowds following his every move. He even rekindled an image he'd rather forget: A last-hole struggle.

Norman birdied four straight holes on the front nine, but a bogey on the final hole left him in a four-way tie with Joey Sindelar, Dan Forsman and amateur Tim Jackson at 6-under 66. Andy Bean and Fulton Allem were both one shot back at 67. [Norman tees off at 2 p.m. Friday. For updates, go to ussenioropen.com]

Jackson broke the record for low score by an amateur at this tournament, and he did it in his Senior Tour debut.

For Norman, it was a chance to show everyone that the man once dubbed the world's best golfer hadn't lost his touch.

``I played well today and the golf course was ready to be had. It was perfect conditions,'' the 54-year-old Aussie said. ``The greens were just receptive enough to be aggressive with the shots if you want to play 'em.''

Norman and his senior tour colleagues had no problems playing on a cool, relatively calm day. Those atop the leaderboard made it look easy on the 7,316-yard course, the longest in Senior Open history.

Norman and Bean briefly flirted with 7 under but each bogeyed their next hole to lose sole possession of the lead. Bean finished with two bogeys on his last three holes to finish at 67.

Others played cleaner golf.

Sindelar posted three birdies on each side. Forsman, who started at No. 10, was 4 under at the turn. Neither had a bogey.

And the unknown Jackson, a real estate developer from Tennessee, charged back with five birdies on the final nine holes. A sixth would have broken the tie at the top, but his 10-foot birdie putt on the last hole stopped on the lip of the cup.

Still, Jackson broke the tournament record for low score by an amateur by two shots. Amateurs shot 68 four times in the Senior Open, the last being Rick Cloninger in 2008 on Broadmoor's east course in Colorado Springs, Colo.

``This will be something we'll talk about for a long time, I'm sure,'' Jackson said.

Norman, Jackson and the other two low scorers already created a buzz at Crooked Stick Golf Club during the first round.

The course's head pro, Tony Pancake, said the 66s were a competitive course record. In the 1991 PGA Championship, won by the then-unknown John Daly, the low round was 67.

Norman might have shot 65, too, had he not been surprised when he walked to the 18th tee and found the hole playing 42 yards shorter than in the practice rounds. He hit into the left rough as a result, leaving him a treacherous uphill second shot. The ball landed in the front bunker, and Norman's blast out of the sand wound up on the back corner of the green for a 40-foot par putt. He left it 6 feet short.

``There is such a severe upslope, and the grain was going straight into me,'' the two-time British Open champion said. ``When you're on a keen angle on an upslope, it's difficult to keep that accelerating through because your body wants to fall back. So you're not getting a full rotation.''

No, it didn't resemble Norman's 1996 Masters collapse but it was a deflating end to an otherwise meticulous round.

Bean and Jackson were just as good in slightly worse conditions during the afternoon, and Bean was 7 under through 15 holes until failing to close it out.

Jackson continued to make shots after starting his round on the back nine. He made the turn at 1 under and then birdied four straight holes to match Norman, one short of the tourney record for most consecutive birdies (five). He moved into a tie for the lead with a birdie putt at No. 7.

``If you're going to shoot a low round at the U.S. Senior Open, this is the day,'' Forsman said. ``This course will show its teeth before it's over.''

The Shark just hopes those teeth don't get him. Again.

``I feel like I'm getting close,'' Norman said. ``Even though I played very, very well today, I feel like I'm getting close to getting it all together.''

Seven players, led by Senior British Open champion Loren Roberts and 1996 British Open champion Tom Lehman, were two back at 68.

Last year's winner, Eduardo Romero of Argentina, shot a 73.

The suddenly rejuvenated Tom Watson delivered on his promise of playing conservatively because of an illness that limited him to just one practice round. Watson, who lost the British Open in a playoff two weeks ago, finished Thursday with a 1-under 71.

Kimura lifts Rapids past visiting FCDFunk leads by three shots at Senior British Open

Funk leads by three shots at Senior British Open

SUNNINGDALE, England(AP) -- Fred Funk shot a 5-under 65 for a three-shot lead at the Senior British Open on Friday.

He is a tournament-record 11 under through two rounds and leads Tom Watson by seven shots.

Funk has gone 36 holes without a bogey and his round, capped by a 174-yard 8-iron at the last hole for an eagle 2, gave him an 11-under 129, a 36-hole record total for the event.

He has a three-stroke lead over Sam Torrance, who also shot 65 and 2006 winner Loren Roberts another two shots back at 134.

Watson, trying to follow up his British Open runner-up finish on Sunday with a fourth Senior British Open title, shot 69 to share sixth place.

``I turned a good round into a mediocre round ... with poor putting,'' Watson said. ``I had a lot of opportunities to make birdies today and didn't make them.

``If I had putted average it would have been 67, maybe 66. If I had putted well, maybe 64. Tee to green was good.''

He knows he has work to do.

``I'm a lot of shots off the lead the way Freddie's playing. We'll have to cut off his knee, or something,'' Watson joked.

``He's a straight driver of the ball and if you do that you're going to hit a lot of greens.''

Watson made a grip adjustment on his putter late in his round which he hopes will help over the weekend.

``I'm just going to try and weaken my grip a little bit so I can feel both hands together a little bit more, to make myself release it better,'' he said. ``We always have to try something.''

Senior PGA champion Michael Allen shot a 65 and was tied for fourth with Tom Kite (68).

Watson was tied at 4 under with Greg Norman (69), Mark McNulty (67), Don Pooley (66), Denis Watson (68) and Gordon J. Brand (68).

Funk finished his round half an hour before Watson and Norman were going to start, but they were delayed for two hours by a thunderstorm.

It meant that 18 players did not complete their rounds. They will do so early Saturday.

Funk said his score was better than he played.

``Like yesterday, my front nine was not that solid,'' he said, pointing to par saves at the second and seventh holes. ``Yesterday I wasn't driving well on the front nine, today my irons were a bit ragged.''

He birdied the par-5 first and 14th holes, ``the ones you're supposed to birdie. In between them I just plodded along.''

Then he birdied 16 and eagled the last. ``Three under for the last three makes my day look better than it was,'' he said.

Torrance lives near Sunningdale and has played the course so often, he feels he knows the course and the greens better than anyone.

``I know them like the back of my hand. I know where to hit the ball on them,'' he said.

``Now I'm in a position to do what I want to do this week,'' Europe's 2004 Ryder Cup captain said.

He holed three big putts in mid-round, from 30 feet on the 10th, 15 feet on 11 and 12 feet on 13.

His drive on 18 finished in thick rough and his second cleared the green, but he had a flat lie from 20 feet and two-putted for par.

Roberts said he would have to start making a lot of birdies.

``I know Fred is not going to back up. You have to be thinking about 5 under a round over the weekend,'' Roberts said.

Norman double-bogeyed the seventh where he drove into a bunker and then three-putted.

``You just have to try to shoot the best score you can. You have to play your own game,'' he said.

Watson among leaders at Senior British OpenKimura lifts Rapids past visiting FCD

Watson among leaders at Senior British Open

SUNNINGDALE, England(AP) Four days after his heart-rending playoff defeat to Stewart Cink at Turnberry, Tom Watson shot a 3-under 67 on Thursday to begin his pursuit of a fourth Senior British Open title.

The 59-year-old Watson, who almost became the oldest major champion at the British Open last weekend, was three shots behind leader Fred Funk.

Funk birdied five of his last eight holes, including holing a bunker shot at No. 17, for a 6-under 64 - the lowest opening round in the history of the championship.

``The first nine could have been three or four over, and the back could have been eight under,'' said Funk, who had a two-shot lead over fellow Americans Jay Haas and Loren Roberts, Des Smyth of Ireland and Christopher Williams of South Africa.

Watson was another stroke back and tied with Tom Kite, Jerry Bruner, Greg Norman of Australia and Sam Torrance of Scotland.

Bernhard Langer, who has two Champions Tour wins this year, opened with a 72.

Watson said he hadn't watched a replay of his missed putt on the final hole at Turnberry, an 8-footer for par that would have won him the claret jug.

``I don't want to. That was the ugliest stroke in the world. I don't want to relive that thing,'' Watson said, before admitting he initially wanted to play it over again. ``Then I said, 'To heck with it. That's history. That's over and done with.'''

Asked if he had ever been in so much demand before, Watson replied: ``Frankly, no. Just the outpouring of people communicating with me - I've never had that happen before.''

Watson was told that Norman, his playing partner Thursday who came close to winning last year's British Open, had said people were offering congratulations and commiseration for the next 51 weeks.

``I guess I'll have to be ready for that,'' Watson said.

Watson didn't look like any disappointment from the British Open carried over, starting 3 under after five holes and making two more birdies and two bogeys the rest of the way.

``I made a few early putts maybe I shouldn't have made and I missed some I should have made,'' Watson said. ``I had birdie chances on the last four holes but didn't make them. It was a good score. Maybe it could have been better.

``But I just heard this morning that a close friend at home has died of brain cancer. That puts this back in the right light.''

Watson said messages from American servicemen he visited in Iraq years ago also had helped him deal with losing the British Open.

Watson birdied the long first at Sunningdale, then made a 10-footer to save par. He also made par at the third, despite hitting his tee shot into the rough, before birdies on the next two holes - a 15-foot downhill putt and a 20-footer.

A heavy shower at the sixth changed the nature of the greens, and Watson struggled with his putting the rest of the round. He missed an 8-footer at the 13th - the same distance he missed on the 72nd hole at Turnberry.

``I'm not very good on 8-footers right now,'' Watson joked.

Haas, who has won 12 times on the Champions Tour, was also shaky with his putter on the front nine. After three bogeys in seven holes, he did not drop any more shots.

``To come back was a nice way to finish,'' Haas said. ``I felt I needed to shoot low to have a chance here.''

Roberts, the 2006 winner at Turnberry, three-putted for bogey at 16 before making two birdies coming in.

``To finish like that really made the day,'' he said.

SALTMANS HOPING TO SHINEKimura lifts Rapids past visiting FCD

KERR MAINTANS LEAD

Cristie Kerr will carry a two-shot lead into the final round of the US Women's Open on Sunday.

The American is the only player under par after three rounds over Saucon Valley's Old Course in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Kerr, the 2007 champion, is two under for the tournament despite a one-over round of 72 on Saturday.

Korea's Eun Hee Ji is in second place after shooting a one-under round of 70.

Jean Reynolds and Teresa Lu are a further two shots off the pace, while Candie Kung moved into contention after a best-of-the-day 68.

She is one of three players five shots behing Kerr with 18 holes remaining.

Collated third round scores & totals

(USA unless stated, par 71):

211 Cristie Kerr 69 70 72

213 Eun Hee Ji (Kor) 71 72 70

215 Jean Reynolds 69 72 74, Teresa Lu (Tai) 76 69 70

216 In-Kyung Kim (Kor) 72 72 72, Candie Kung (Tai) 71 77 68, Hee Young Park (Kor) 70 74 72

217 Brittany Lincicome 72 72 73, Suzann Pettersen (Nor) 74 71 72, Kyeong Bae (Kor) 75 73 69

218 Giulia Sergas (Ita) 75 67 76, Na Yeon Choi (Kor) 68 74 76, Sun Young Yoo (Kor) 72 74 72, Sun Ju Ahn (Kor) 75 71 72, Morgan Pressel 74 75 69, Song-Hee Kim (Kor) 74 69 75

219 Paula Creamer 72 68 79, Jennifer Song 72 74 73, Ai Miyazato (Jpn) 74 74 71, Meaghan Francella 73 72 74, Anna Grzebien 73 77 69, Nicole Castrale 74 71 74

220 Louise Friberg (Swe) 75 72 73, Akiko Fukushima (Jpn) 76 72 72, Laura Davies (Eng) 72 75 73, Maria Jose Uribe (Col) 75 76 69

221 Lindsey Wright (Aus) 74 70 77, Karrie Webb (Aus) 75 72 74, Amy Yang 75 71 75, Hee Kyung Seo (Kor) 75 73 73, Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 69 79 73, Ji-Young Oh (Kor) 76 71 74, Anna Nordqvist (Swe) 71 75 75, Jimin Kang (Kor) 76 71 74, Momoko Ueda (Jpn) 72 77 72

222 Azahara Munoz (Spa) 72 76 74, Young Kim (Kor) 71 75 76, Alexis Thompson 71 73 78, Kristy McPherson 71 74 77, Brittany Lang 75 74 73, Hye Jung Choi (Kor) 72 75 75

223 Ji-Yai Shin (Kor) 72 75 76, Juli Inkster 78 73 72, Maria Hernandez (Spa) 74 72 77, In-Bee Park (Kor) 75 71 77, Sandra Gal (Ger) 75 71 77, Alison Lee 75 72 76, Mi-sun Cho (Kor) 76 74 73

224 Yuri Fudoh (Jpn) 73 71 80, Jessica Korda 72 77 75, Becky Morgan (Wal) 75 76 73, Shanshan Feng (Chn) 74 74 76, Amanda Blumenherst 75 76 73

225 Allie White 74 73 78, He yong Choi (Kor) 77 74 74

226 Stacy Prammanasudh 73 75 78, Karen Stupples (Eng) 73 75 78, Meena Lee (Kor) 72 79 75, Ji-Hee Lee (Jpn) 77 72 77, Michele Redman 77 73 76

227 Candace Schepperle 73 78 76, Mika Miyazato (Jpn) 75 76 76, Cindy Lacrosse 76 75 76, Christina Kim 72 76 79, Allison Fouch 75 75 77, Stacy Lewis 78 73 76

228 Carolina Llano 73 77 78, Haeji Kang (Kor) 73 78 77

229 Jennie Lee 75 76 78, Mina Harigae 77 72 80, Karine Icher (Fra) 76 74 79

235 Lisa Ferrero (Mex) 77 74 84

SALTMANS HOPING TO SHINE

Lloyd Saltman normally has elder brother Elliot looking after him - but this week the tables are turned at the 138th Open Championship at Turnberry.

EuroPro Tour player Elliot, 27, is competing in his very first high-profile event, having come through local final qualifying at Gailes Links in Glasgow last week.

Lloyd qualified in similar circumstances, albeit it at Kilmarnock (Barassie), but he has the advantage of having played in the major before.

In 2005 he finished joint 15th to win the Silver Medal at St Andrews as the leading amateur so he is well placed to pass on some tips to his elder brother.

And there will be plenty of time to do that as they are both staying in the same house close to the course with the rest of the family.

"Elliot and I live together now and I'm used to Elliot looking after me, doing my washing and ironing and all that," said 23-year-old Lloyd.

"But he's got a back seat this week because mum is going to do it, so that's all right."

Lloyd and Elliot are the first siblings to play in the Open since Jumbo and Joe Ozaki in 1992 and they will be joined by youngest brother Zack, who missed out by one shot at regional qualifying but will be carrying Elliot's bag this week.

"We're a close family and we were all together in 2005 at the Open, I don't think we'd have it any other way," added Lloyd.

"We like to be together and share our experiences -

2005 was a great experience for me and really set me up to where I am now.

"I've used as much of that as I can and hopefully it will help me this week."

Elliot admits his brother's performance at St Andrews was an inspiration to him.

"I saw, from outside the ropes, what Lloyd was experiencing," he said.

"It made me work harder to see my brother doing so well, I wanted to get into the same position.

"Four years down the line it's all paid off and here I am."

Despite Zack being caddy for Elliot this week he could not hide his disappointment at not making it a Saltman hat-trick.

"To see them both here is great and I feel I let them down a little bit. But there's plenty of years to come."

KATAYAMA OUT OF OPEN

Japan's Shingo Katayama has become the sixth exempt player to withdraw from this coming week's Open Championship at Turnberry.

Katayama has an upper back problem and has been replaced by American Steve Marino, who will be making his Open debut.

Also missing from the field are world No 2 Phil Mickelson, last year's Masters champion Trevor Immelman, last season's European No 1 Robert Karlsson, New Zealander Tim Wilkinson and American Dudley Hart.

Australian Rod Pampling and France's Thomas Levet are now on stand-by - and would come in if no non-exempt players finish in the top five of the Scottish Open and the US Tour's John Deere Classic.

Marino owes his place at Turnberry not only to the fact that five players have pulled out, but also that four others ahead of him in the world rankings either did not enter or withdrew from qualifying tournaments.

They are Australian Aaron Baddeley and Americans Pat Perez, Kevin Na and Mark Wilson.

Replacements come off this week's world rankings and that quartet are respectively 65th, 69th, 72nd and 73rd. Marino is 74th.


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IMMELMAN TO MISS TURNBERRY
AN OPEN FOR ALL AGES

SIR NICK BOWS OUT AT LOCH LOMOND

Having started the Scottish Open as plain Nick Faldo the six-time major winner ended it on Friday as Sir Nick.

Between the first and second rounds the European Tour established there was no need to wait for Faldo's investiture to acknowledge the knighthood he received last month.

Last year's Ryder Cup captain was playing his first event since the Hong Kong Open eight months ago and missed the halfway cut on two over par following rounds of 71 and 73.

Faldo is also in the field for The Open at Turnberry next week.


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IMMELMAN TO MISS TURNBERRY

Last season's Masters champion Trevor Immelman, who has been out of action since withdrawing from the Memorial Tournament a month ago with a wrist injury, has pulled out of next week's Open at Turnberry.

"My injury has been responding well to treatment, but at this point it just isn't far enough along to allow me to be ready for the Open," said the South African.

"As disappointing as it will be to not be there, I have to continue doing what's right for my long-term health. I'm looking forward to continuing with the rehabilitation and getting back to doing what I love, playing golf."

Immelman is now expected to return at the Canadian Open in two weeks' time.

Swede Robert Karlsson and New Zealander Tim Wilkinson withdrew injured yesterday, and it is expected that world number two Phil Mickelson will not play either because of his wife Amy's breast cancer treatment.

Immelman also did not play at Hoylake in 2006, but that was after his wife Carminita went into labour in America.

Immelman's withdrawal brings Australian Matthew Goggin into the Open field as the highest-ranked player in the world not exempt.


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IMMELMAN WITHDRAWS FROM US OPEN

OPEN QUANDARY FOR McDOWELL

Graeme McDowell is in no doubt a successful defence of his Barclays Scottish Open title at Loch Lomond this week will hurt his chances for the Open at Turnberry.

A year ago the Ulsterman went from one to the other and led after the opening round at Birkdale, but ended up in a tie for 19th.

"There's no way round it, this is not ideal preparation," said McDowell.

"I've always played Loch Lomond before the Open but you couldn't get two more different styles of golf. This is soft, thick meadow grass.

"I got off to a good start at Birkdale but when it started blowing there on Saturday I just felt like I ran out of steam a little bit.

"Any time I've ever won it's a massive high and it takes you a little bit of time to come down from that.

"I think you're always learning from those experiences. I'm always a guy that, when you see players win back-to-back weeks, I think, 'how can they do that?'

"They're always good problems to have, reacting to wins, but I'm trying to do that better and better all the time."

McDowell played Turnberry for a second time on Monday, and commented: "It's got some of the heaviest links rough I've ever seen.

"If you miss it in the wrong place you might want to bring a couple of golf balls with you. I certainly lost a couple.

"Right of the 17th green I've never seen rough as thick in all my life. You've got to know which you can miss it on and which you can't."

Ernie Els, winner in 2000 and 2003 and runner-up to Tiger Woods in The Open after the first of those, does not believe that this week can have a detrimental effect on chances for next week.

"It's definitely different, but competitive golf is good preparation and it seems like players playing well take it into next week," he said.

"I've not had a great year, but this is a nice time of year for me and I'm really looking forward to it. My record will help me hopefully."


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GOLF GIVING SOMETHING BACK IN KENYA

The European Tour's charity body has stepped in to help street children in Kenya.

With a Ј7,000 grant enabling the Mombasa project to pass its fund-raising target and get off the ground, the children will soon have the opportunity of a life on the golf course as trained caddies.

It is hoped that as many as 60 youngsters will be taken out of the poverty trap and become involved with the Glad's House Caddie Project at Vipingo Ridge golf course 30 miles north of the city.

The project is in partnership with the Mombasa Olympic Youth Organisation, which uses sport to reach out to children to help steer them clear of drugs and crime and avoid HIV infection.

It also works to integrate street children back into mainstream society.

The renamed and rebranded European Tour Players' Foundation has been supported by the circuit's Caddies Association, who have volunteered their time to provide hands-on training.

Caddies chairman Richard Hallam said: "We are delighted to be involved in a project that can provide a real life-changing difference to some young people who really need it.

"By utilising our experience in a game we all love, we hope to contribute towards the success of this exciting project."

The children will be provided with uniforms and steady employment under the supervision of two experienced local social workers, who will be employed as the Caddie Masters of the project to monitor the welfare of the team.

When the caddies are not working, they will live with local foster families.

Cliff Ferguson, Chairman of Glad's House, said: "This is a fantastic project. The young people will be given the skills to live an independent and worthwhile life."

The European Tour has a long association with Kenya dating back to the first national open there in 1967.

Former winners have included major champions Seve Ballesteros, Trevor Immelman and Ian Woosnam. In recent years the event has been part of the Challenge Tour.

Former player Mark Roe, chairman of the Tour Players' Foundation, said: "This is an exciting project for us to be involved in.

"Glad's House is doing some great work for the street children of Mombasa and this project allows the children to make great steps towards a better future and is certainly worthy of our support."

Initiated by the players and established by the European Tour in 2006 - it was known as GolfAID then - the Foundation raises money and makes donations and grants to voluntary bodies and charities that have the full support of the members, particularly in those regions around the world where European Tour events are held.

The launch of the rebranding at Wentworth in May was accompanied by the presentation of a Ј35,000 cheque to Children With Special Needs, a local charity close to the Tour's headquarters that provides support to children with a disability or a very special talent that would not be fulfilled without help.

Roe commented: "The Trustees felt that our new name would give us a stronger, more easily identifiable brand.

"This would be a good platform for promoting our work in golf as well as across the worlds of sport, business and charity.

"This is a very fair and tangible way of players giving something back to relevant good causes."

Welshman David Park, another former player, is now the Tour's charity executive and stated: "The strap line of the Tour Players Foundation is 'Golfers Giving Back' and I hope every golfer with a connection to the Tour, professional or amateur alike, will take the time and opportunity to lend a hand in any way they can.

"Together we can make a substantial impact for worthy causes through golf."

Tour chief executive George O'Grady added: "This is an exciting time for the Tour Players Foundation.

"Tour members have always been generous in supporting charitable initiatives and this new structure and branding will greatly assist in raising funds and awareness. When we see the way the charity helps deserving causes it is a source of inspiration for us all."


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TIGER CONSOLIDATES TOP SPOT

Tiger Woods, who has already been world number one for an incredible 555 weeks in his career, is set for an even longer reign following his latest win.

Woods captured the AT&T National at Congressional to widen the gap over Phil Mickelson to 2.82 points.

Martin Kaymer's French Open play-off victory over Lee Westwood lifted him to 19th, while Westwood stands one place above him and Ian Poulter, third in Paris, is up to a career-high 16th.

Latest leading positions: 1 Tiger Woods 11.29pts, 2 Phil Mickelson 8.47, 3 Paul Casey 6.69, 4 Kenny Perry 6.35, 5 Sergio Garcia 6.07, 6 Geoff Ogilvy 5.95, 7 Henrik Stenson 5.88, 8 Steve Stricker 5.37, 9 Jim Furyk 5.07, 10 Vijay Singh 4.97, 11 Camilo Villegas 4.61, 12 Padraig Harrington 4.53, 13 Sean O'Hair 4.47, 14 Anthony Kim 4.27, 15 Robert Karlsson 4.19, 16 Ian Poulter 4.04, 17 Lucas Glover 3.98, 18 Lee Westwood 3.98, 19 Martin Kaymer 3.93, 20 Rory McIlroy 3.72.

Other leading Europeans: 21 Ross Fisher, 29 Luke Donald, 33 Alvaro Quiros, 37 Soren Kjeldsen, 42 Miguel Angel Jimenez, 45 Graeme McDowell, 49 Oliver Wilson, 50 Justin Rose, 53 Soren Hansen, 55 Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, 58 Anders Hansen, 61 Peter Hanson, 67 Nick Dougherty, 79 Francesco Molinari, 82 Thomas Levet, 84 Anthony Wall, 93 Johan Edfors.


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KAYMER TAKES FRENCH TITLE

Lee Westwood is still searching for his first victory since September 2007 - and for the second time it was rising German star Martin Kaymer who denied him.

Kaymer won the French Open Alstom at Le Golf National near Paris with an 18-foot par putt on the first hole of a sudden death play-off after they had tied on 13 under par.

They were three clear of Ian Poulter, who departed absolutely livid and saying he would not be back next year after blaming a press photographer for his shot into water on the 15th.

Westwood, who was runner-up to Kaymer in Abu Dhabi at the start of last year, has also now lost three play-offs since his last win.

The former European number one had fired a joint best-of-the-day 65 from four behind at the start of the day, but after both found the right-hand rough after returning to the 18th tee his nine-iron just failed to carry the lake.

Kaymer had only just made it over but with Westwood then playing a poor pitch as well from the drop zone and doing no better than a double-bogey six the 24-year-old, with two putts for it, sank an 18-footer.

His third European Tour title takes him back into the world's top 20 and earned him just over Ј565,000.

Westwood, who took home Ј376,701, was still pleased with his week's work.

"A 65 was the score I had in mind," he said.

"I've played well this year without finishing anything off and the first three rounds here I struggled.

"Then Billy (caddie Billy Foster) gave me a putting tip and I showed quite a lot of bottle down the stretch."

He packed seven birdies into his first 13 holes, but a bogey six down the long next was to cost him dear ultimately.

Kaymer said: "This is obviously very special for me. I had some good chances, but finally I won it, so it's good."

Colin Montgomerie, second on the course last year, is still searching for his first top 10 finish since then.

That dire run looked set to end when he came back from an opening double bogey with seven birdies and stood nine under - good enough for fourth if he parred in - but he took six on the 399-yard 15th and bogeyed the last two to drop to 13th.

One place in the Open Championship was up for grabs in the event, but only for somebody non-exempt finishing in the top five - and nobody did.

English pair Kenneth Ferrie and Paul Waring came agonisingly close, though, missing out by just one shot.

Ferrie, who made his first halfway cut of the season last week, parred the last nine holes for his 67, but now has to play the Open final qualifying at Kilmarnock Barassie tomorrow and Tuesday.

Waring was in third spot overnight, but managed only a 72.

That was not as bad, though, as Argentina's Rafa Echenique, who held a one-stroke lead over Kaymer when they resumed.

Echenique was still in the hunt until he collapsed to triple-bogey sevens on both the 15th and 18th. That meant a 77 and joint 13th -

and also lifted England's Danny Willett and Northern Irishman Gareth Maybin into the 10th place they needed to play this coming week's Scottish Open.

Westwood knew how different it might have been in the play-off.

"Martin's ball has carried the water by a foot and mine must have went in by a foot. That's the chance you take in play-offs.

"You can't judge the week by that and I certainly can't be disappointed by anything after the way I played today.

"I was delighted with my putting today. I had 31 putts for the first three rounds and that's just not good enough, but I putted a lot better today and that's just what I need to do.

"If I can carry that on then I will be winning events by a couple of shots and not going to play-offs. It is a good time to start playing well."

Collated final round scores & totals in the European Tour Open de France ALSTOM, Le Golf National, Paris, France

(Gbr & Irl unless stated, par 71):

271 Martin Kaymer (Ger) 62 72 69 68 (Kaymer won at the first play-off hole), Lee Westwood 68 68 70 65

274 Ian Poulter 72 69 66 67

275 Peter Hanson (Swe) 65 70 70 70, Anders Hansen (Den) 69 72 68 66

276 Paul Waring 66 70 68 72, Soren Hansen (Den) 68 71 72 65, Richard Green (Aus) 68 67 70 71, Kenneth Ferrie 70 68 71 67

278 Gareth Maybin 69 71 71 67, Scott Strange (Aus) 65 72 71 70, Danny Willett 68 71 70 69

279 Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 70 71 69 69, Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 67 74 69 69, Damien McGrane 70 72 69 68, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 68 66 72 73, Colin Montgomerie 69 74 65 71, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 67 72 71 69, Rafael Echenique (Arg) 65 67 70 77, Graeme Storm 69 72 67 71

280 Magnus A Carlsson (Swe) 69 71 71 69, Nick Dougherty 66 76 69 69, Peter Lawrie 71 71 71 67, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 73 70 71 66

281 Francesco Molinari (Ita) 67 70 71 73, Francois Delamontagne (Fra) 75 68 70 68, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 67 73 73 68, Phillip Archer 69 73 67 72, Seve Benson 70 67 68 76, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 70 72 71 68

282 Daniel Vancsik (Arg) 72 67 72 71, David Horsey 72 71 68 71, Darren Clarke 73 69 68 72, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa) 70 72 69 71, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 65 75 68 74, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 67 73 74 68

283 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 67 71 68 77, Gary Lockerbie 68 75 70 70, Steve Webster 69 65 74 75, Gary Orr 73 70 67 73, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 70 70 69 74

284 David Lynn 69 74 69 72, Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 72 71 65 76, Paul Broadhurst 73 69 71 71, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 71 72 71 70, Paul Lawrie 67 74 71 72, Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 70 72 71 71, Mark Foster 69 74 70 71, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 68 74 72 70

285 David Drysdale 67 76 71 71, Shane Lowry 69 72 71 73, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 74 66 73 72, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 72 70 70 73

286 Jose-Maria Olazabal (Spa) 74 69 72 71, Miguel Angel Martin (Spa) 72 71 73 70, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 70 72 69 75, Ross McGowan 69 72 74 71

287 Thomas Bjorn (Den) 70 70 77 70, Jean Van de Velde (Fra) 67 75 71 74

288 Marc Warren 68 72 71 77, James Kingston (Rsa) 71 70 72 75, Benn Barham 68 74 73 73, Jamie Donaldson 69 71 68 80, Alastair Forsyth 72 69 76 71, John Bickerton 65 77 75 71, Barry Lane 70 71 74 73

289 Steven O'Hara 71 72 70 76, Philip Golding 71 72 73 73

290 Thomas Levet (Fra) 67 73 75 75

291 Robert Rock 70 70 76 75, Oliver Wilson 72 69 71 79, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 69 71 71 80

292 Pablo Martin (Spa) 71 72 72 77

293 Hennie Otto (Rsa) 74 67 73 79, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 68 75 75 75

295 Sam Little 67 75 75 78, Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia (Ind) 69 73 77 76

296 Paul Nilbrink (Swe) 73 69 79 75


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EUNJUNG YI HOLDS NERVE TO WIN TITLE

Eunjung Yi claimed the LPGA Tour Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic title in a play-off with Morgan Pressel, despite surrendering a four-stroke lead earlier in the day.

Yi could not reproduce her fireworks from Saturday, when she produced the round of the weekend - a 10-under 61 - to put herself in control.

Today she could manage just a two-birdie, two-bogie level-par round of 71 to finish 18 under for the tournament, while Pressel carded a 67 to close the gap.

The South Korean was under pressure from Pressel, who began the day tied for second, for much of the round, but back-to-back bogeys at the 13th and 14th appeared to have undone much of the American's good work.

However, a birdie at the 16th and an eagle at the par-five 17th brought her back on terms with the South Korean, who bogeyed the 16th - and that was how it remained until the end of the round.

Her fightback was in vain, however, as Yi held her nerve to claim the title in the play-off with a birdie on the 18th.

The win also means Yi qualifies for next week's US Women's Open.

Michelle Wie produced the round of the day - a seven-under 64 - to claim a share of third two strokes behind the leading pair, along with South Korean pair Seon Hwa Lee and Song-Hee Kim, who fired four under and two under respectively.

Collated final-round scores & totals (USA unless stated, par 71):

266 Eunjung Yi (Kor) 68 66 61 71 (Eunjung Yi won at the first play-off hole), Morgan Pressel 64 68 67 67

268 Seon Hwa Lee (Kor) 70 63 68 67, Michelle Wie 65 69 70 64, Song-Hee Kim (Kor) 64 71 64 69

269 Ya-Ni Tseng (Tai) 68 68 65 68, Suzann Pettersen (Nor) 65 69 67 68

270 Lindsey Wright (Aus) 66 68 71 65, Mikaela Parmlid (Swe) 69 70 62 69, Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 67 68 67 68, Nicole Castrale 70 66 67 67

271 Wendy Ward 70 66 67 68, Sarah Kemp (Aus) 68 63 70 70, Allison Fouch 70 70 66 65, Helen Alfredsson (Swe) 67 70 66 68, Janice Moodie (Sco) 67 69 67 68

272 Ji-Yai Shin (Kor) 66 67 68 71, Anna Nordqvist (Swe) 67 70 69 66, Cristie Kerr 66 71 66 69, Allison Hanna-Williams 67 68 70 67

273 Natalie Gulbis 68 65 69 71, Shi Hyun Ahn (Kor) 68 72 65 68, Se Ri Pak (Kor) 70 67 70 66, Eun Hee Ji (Kor) 68 69 71 65

274 Hee-Won Han (Kor) 69 66 72 67, In-Bee Park (Kor) 66 71 68 69, Karine Icher (Fra) 68 69 70 67, Kyeong Bae (Kor) 70 64 73 67

275 Jennifer Rosales (Phi) 71 69 65 70, Rachel Hetherington (Aus) 72 66 68 69, Birdie Kim (Kor) 69 67 71 68, Katherine Hull (Aus) 68 69 70 68

276 Minea Blomqvist (Fin) 66 71 73 66, Chella Choi (Kor) 67 72 69 68, Reilley Rankin 68 70 69 69, Candie Kung (Tai) 68 72 66 70, Ai Miyazato (Jpn) 69 69 68 70, Na Yeon Choi (Kor) 73 67 69 67, Jimin Jeong 69 70 66 71, Soo-Yun Kang (Kor) 69 66 68 73, Shanshan Feng (Chn) 68 68 65 75

277 Jane Park 69 66 70 72, Sun Young Yoo (Kor) 68 72 65 72, Irene Cho 70 69 70 68, Jin Joo Hong (Kor) 68 67 68 74, Laura Diaz 64 67 74 72, Maria Hjorth (Swe) 68 68 71 70, Russy Gulyanamitta (Tha) 67 70 66 74

278 Beth Bader 67 72 70 69, Angela Stanford 67 73 69 69, Moira Dunn 70 67 66 75, Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 68 70 68 72, Brittany Lang 72 68 69 69

279 Sung Ah Yim (Kor) 68 68 72 71, Shiho Oyama (Jpn) 71 69 67 72, Meena Lee (Kor) 68 71 67 73, Momoko Ueda (Jpn) 71 69 67 72, Anna Grzebien 71 67 71 70, Amy Yang 71 68 71 69, Christina Kim 70 68 72 69

280 Jee Young Lee (Kor) 66 69 69 76, Ashleigh Simon (Rsa) 67 69 71 73, Il Mi Chung (Kor) 68 68 71 73, Young Kim (Kor) 70 67 70 73, Brandi Jackson 71 68 69 72, Meaghan Francella 67 72 69 72, Michele Redman 67 70 68 75, Kris Tamulis 72 68 69 71, Jeong Jang (Kor) 71 68 72 69, Hye Jung Choi (Kor) 68 70 75 67

281 Silvia Cavalleri (Ita) 69 69 70 73, Jeanne Cho-Hunicke 69 70 72 70, Haeji Kang (Kor) 72 67 71 71, Na Ri Kim (Kor) 67 73 72 69, Eva Dahllof (Swe) 71 69 74 67, Karin Sjodin (Swe) 69 68 70 74

282 Jimin Kang (Kor) 69 69 72 72, Anna Rawson (Aus) 71 69 72 70, Meredith Duncan 71 69 70 72

283 Juli Inkster 69 71 73 70, Kris Tschetter 67 67 76 73

284 Heather Bowie young 71 69 73 71

285 Katie Futcher 70 70 71 74


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COME FLY WITH ME: OLAZABAL

Jose Maria Olazabal and Jean Van de Velde both hope to grab a place in The Open on Tuesday - after travelling to Scotland from Paris by very different means.

While double Masters champion Olazabal hired a private jet for around Ј6,000, Van de Velde booked on to a late-night Ryanair flight.

Olazabal, who tees off in the 36-hole final qualifying competition at Kilmarnock Barassie just after noon tomorrow, had waited for an hour after his final round at the French Open to offer Van de Velde a place on his jet.

But the 1999 Open runner-up had not received the text message that

the lift was available and because his luggage was back at his hotel he had to let it go.

Van de Velde, who came through final qualifying with a closing birdie last year and went on to finish 19th at Birkdale, starts at Glasgow Gailes at 8.53am.

A total of 288 players are competing over three courses - Western Gailes is the other - for just 12 spots at Turnberry.

England's Barry Lane, another former Ryder Cup teammate of Olazabal, was also on the Ryanair flight - and he plays with Olazabal.


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AN OPEN FOR ALL AGES

HARRINGTON: I CAN STILL WIN OPEN

As bleak as it looks after five successive missed cuts Padraig Harrington is not ready yet to rule out completing a hat-trick of Open titles in 15 days' time.

"I have another week," said the Dubliner after a second round 75 that included a triple bogey eight on the 14th put him out of the French Open by four shots on Friday night.

As he did before his back-to-back victories at Carnoustie and Birkdale Harrington plays in the Irish PGA Championship this week hoping that four rounds on a links course can pay rich dividends in Scotland.

Last year he injured a wrist practising on an impact bag at home four days ahead of The Open and overcame that to win by four.

This time, though, it is a crisis of confidence as much as anything - and while the attention the last few months has been on his swing changes now he has putting worries as well.

"I was never comfortable on the greens this week," added Harrington, winner of three of the last eight majors.

"I am hoping that's all it was. I just putted terribly all week and didn't gain any confidence. Obviously that is reflected in the score.

"I need to hit plenty of chip shots, wedge shots and putts over the next couple of weeks, that's for sure.

"I've been happy with my putting and I still am physically happy, but that's where the focus will be.

"I am probably happier than I ever was with the physical side. The focus has been on my swing for the last six months, but moving forward I will definitely focus on what were my previous strengths - a good, sharp short game.

"It has caught me out for the last couple of days, that's for sure."

Asked if he still stuck to the belief that the harder Turnberry plays the better his chances Harrington answered: "It would be hard to see me going out and shooting 20 under par in great conditions.

"It would be easier to see me shooting four or six under in tough conditions, battling it out. But that could all change next week.

"I could go out next week and shoot 20 under par at the European Club and think that I am on top of the world.

"I'm not too worried about the way they set up Turnberry. I would be more worried about how I am.

"I can manage any challenge as long as I can manage myself."

Meanwhile, it was Argentina's Rafa Echenique who led going into the third round at Le Golf National near Paris.

A week after he took second place in Munich with a closing albatross two Echenique resumed 10 under par, two ahead of England's Steve Webster, German Martin Kaymer and South African Charl Schwartzel.

Kaymer opened with a course record-equalling 62, but managed only a 72 yesterday.

That could be a good omen for Webster. At the Portugal Masters two years ago he came through to win after Kaymer followed a course record first round 61 with a 72.


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DOWNBEAT HARRINGTON HEADING HOME