SCOTS VALERIE AND CAROLINE CHASING LEADER
EMMA IN BRITISH WOMEN'S MID-AMATEUR

Scotland's hopes of providing a third winner in the first six years of the British women's mid-amateur golf championship - to follow in the footsteps of Anne Laing (2002) and Martine Pow last year - rest on the shoulders of exiles Valerie Melvin and Caroline Agnew
Both are former beaten finalists in the Scottish women's amateur championship (1994 and 1998 respectively) and Caroline also won the Scottish Under-18 girls' match-play title in 1993.
Valerie, entered from "Reunion, Florida," has lived and worked in America for a number of years in a golf-related job. Caroline had to go south in the 1990s to get a job and she now plays out of Newmarket Links Golf Club.
In this national tournament for the over-25s - there is a case for making the minimum age 35 - at Frilford Heath Golf Club, Oxfordshire, Valerie has had rounds of 78 and 75 for 153 - to be five shots behind the leader and hot title favourite, former Curtis Cup player Emma Duggleby who would probably still be playing for Great Britain & Ireland teams but for deciding a couple of years ago that she did not want to be picked any more for international teams.
Emma has scored 72 and 76 over the par-73 course for a two-over-par tally of 148.
With one round to go, Miss Duggleby, who works in the admin offices of Malton & Norton Golf Club, leads by hree shots from Minna Kaarnalahti (Finland) and by five from Valerie Melvin who saddled herself with a double bogey 6 at the third after starting with a birdie. She did birdie the 18th for the second day in a row.
Caroline Agnew is back in fifth place on 156 with scores of 77 and 79. But for dropping seven shots to par over the last five holes today - including a quadruple bogey 8 at the 16th - she would be in second place and snapping at the leader's heels.
Fife county player Jo Carthew from Ladybank is on 167 with scores of 82 and 85.
Former Scottish senior champion Pamela Williamson (Ladybank) has had rounds of 83 and 86 for 169.

LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 146 (2 x 73)
148 E Duggleby (Malton & Norton) 72 76.
151 M Kaarnalahti (Fin) 76 75.
153 V Melvin (US) 78 75.
154 B Mullins-Lane (Aus) 80 74.
156 C Agnew (Newmarket Links) 77 79.
157 S Garbutt (Ganton) 85 72.
158 A Coffey (Worplesdon) 76 82, T Boyes (Meon Valley) 79 79.
159 R Harrison (Royal Mid-Surrey) 82 77, D Jamgochian (US) 84 75.
162 L Ball (Matfen Hall) 87 75, I Brien (Wentworth) 79 83, C Weir (Beaconsfield) 84 78.
163 L Houseman (Highgate) 79 84, A Gowing (Frilford Heath) 81 82.
164 J Pain (Walton Heath) 84 80.
166 Jane Rees (Hendon) 87 89, K Russell (Royal Ashdown Forest0 88 78.
167 A Dooley (St George's Hill) 84 83, C Howells (Moor Hall) 85 82, J Carthew (Ladybank) 82 85, S Luckman (Felixstowe Ferry) 82 85, A Johnston (Kings Hill) 83 84.
168 C Cummins (Parkstone) 83 85, D Warren (Kings Norton) 82 86, S Westall (Copt Heath) 84 84.
169 P Williamson (Baberton) 83 86, V Hassett (Ennis) 82 82, D Porter (Formby Ladies) 86 83, L Barton (Coventry) 84 85.