CLARE QUEEN, LYNN KENNY

MAKE THE CUT IN AUSSIE

OPEN AS AMATEUR LEADS

FROM THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

By BETHAN CUTLER

Australian amateur Kristie Smith upstaged the professionals by taking a one stroke lead at the halfway stage of the MFS Women’s Australian Open at Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne today.

A four-under-par 69 in the second round took the 19-year-old Western Australian to five-under-par 141 for the tournament, one ahead of South Korean Ji-Yai Shin.

Defending champion Karrie Webb was well placed to take her fourth national title, just three shots behind the leader on two-under-par 144. The 33-year-old World No. 3 from Queensland carded a 72 to share third position with her Kent-born fellow Australian Lindsey Wright and South Korea’s Hee Young Park, who had a 73.

England’s Kirsty S Taylor fired the low round of the day – a five-under-par 68 – which moved her into a share of sixth position on one-under-par with Carrie Wood of the United States.

Taylor, the 2002 rookie of the year on the Ladies European Tour, fired four birdies in her first five holes, with one more at the par-4 16th. She admitted to having struggled on the opening day, when rain heavy rain fell, but felt much more at home on a day of bright sunshine and strong winds.
“I just went to the range this morning and tried to be really confident,” said Taylor, 28, from Basingstoke in Hampshire. “It was beautiful out there and we were very lucky in the morning because there was no wind.

“Last year wasn’t so great for me so I’d like to come back and be the Kirsty Taylor I know I can be. Hopefully I’ll keep it going over next two days. I’ll give it my best shot.”

Smith, who is a member of the Australian National Squad and who is based at Royal Perth Golf Club, tied for 25th in the MFS Women’s Australian Open last year when it was played at Royal Sydney.

Her father Wayne, a former tour professional, is on caddie duties for the week.

“Dad has been on the bag in the major events for ever now. We have a lot of fun out there. He knows all the Australian courses, especially this one,” said Kristie.

Smith didn’t see her father much as a youngster as he was away on tour for up to 30 weeks a year, but she said: “I used to come to all the Australian Opens and PGAs and I’d be the little baby in the crèche. I started playing around the age of 10 or 11 down in Margaret River, a little town in Western Australia.”

Smith was not pushed into golf, but took it up of her own accord, and her talent was immediately obvious according to her father. This week she is aiming for a top 20 finish, or to be the leading amateur, if she can’t win the tournament.
“Of course, it’s always in the back of your head isn’t it?” she said. “The first amateur to win.“I know I can match it with the pros. I showed today that I can and I am looking forward to the weekend.”

An amateur has never won the MFS Women’s Australian Open, but Korean Amy Yang was the last amateur to win on the Ladies European Tour. She took the 2006 ANZ Ladies Masters at Royal Pines Resort as a 16-year-old. Yang is now a professional who holds a winners’ exemption on the Tour.

A total of 72 players made the cut, which fell at eight-over-par 154.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM COLIN FARQUHARSON

Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) , pictured above, improved by six shots with a one-over-par 74 for 154 and beat the cut with nothing to spare. Lynn had birdies at the eighth, 10th, 112th, 12th and 14th in halves of 41 and 33.

On 153 is Clare Queen (The Carrick at Cameron House). In contrast to her fellow Scot, Clare did not have a single birdie in halves of 41 and 37 for a 78 after a first-day 75. But she has made it through the cash-winning part of the tournament, which is important.

Laura Davies, winner of the New South Wales Open last week, does not have that spark about her game so far this week. She had a 75 for 149 - eight shots behind leader Kristie Smith.

EARLY CLUBHOUSE SCOREBOARD

SECOND ROUND

Par 146 (2 x 73). Players from Australia unless stated.

141 Kristie Smith (amateur) 72 69.

143 Ji-Yai Shin (South Korea) 72 71.

144 Hee Young Park (South Korea) 71 73, Karrie Webb 72 72, Lindsey Wright 72 72.

145 Kristy S Taylor (England) 77 68, Carrie Wood (US) 75 70.

146 Sarah Nicholson (Nzl) 71 75, Katherine Hull (Aus) 71 75.
147 Birdie Kim (SKor) 75 72, Alison Whitaker (Aus) 73 74.
148 Amy Yang (SKor) 75 73, Jill McGill (US) 75 73, Emma Bennett (Aus) 74 74, Minea Blomqvist (Fin) 73 75, Ashleigh Simon (Rsa) 75 73, Michelle Ellis (Aus) 72 76
149 Laura Davies (Eng) 74 75, Gwladys Nocera (Fra) 78 71, Tiffany Joh (USA) 74 75, Bobea Park (Kor) 80 69, Sarah Oh (Aus) 73 76, Frances Bondad (Aus) 72 77, Clare Choi (Aus) 74 75, Sophie Walker (Eng) 77 72, Marianne Skarpnord (Nor) 75 74, Melissa Reid (Eng) 73 76
150 Ayako Uehara (Jpn) 77 73, Ha-Neul Kim (SKor) 76 74, Karin Sjodin (Swe) 74 76, Ji-Yae Yeo (Kor) 77 73, Mi-Jung Hur (SKor) 75 75, Rui Yokomine (Jpn) 78 72, Cherie Byrnes (Aus) 75 75, Hee-Kyung Seo (Kor) 78 72, Kate Combes (Aus) 77 73
151 Danielle Masters (Eng) 75 76, Martina Eberl (Ger) 79 72, Stephanie Arricau (Fra) 76 75, Na Yeon Choi (Kor) 78 73, Marta Prieto (Spa) 79 72
152 Helen Oh (Aus) 74 78, Rebecca Stevenson (Aus) 77 75, Vicky Thomas (Aus) 77 75, Cecilia Nha (Aus) 80 72, Linda Wessberg (Swe) 74 78, Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (Fra) 74 78, Lisa Hall (Eng) 78 74, Tamara Beckett (Aus) 77 75, Amanda Moltke-Leth (Den) 75 77, Laurette Maritz (Rsa) 75 77, Ursula Wikstrom (Fin) 70 82, Rebecca Flood (Aus) 75 77.
153 Joanne Mills (Aus) 74 79, Paula Marti (Spa) 78 75, Clare Queen (Sco) 75 78, Tamie Durdin (Aus) 78 75, Yuki Sakurai (Jpn) 80 73, Anne Norman Hansen (Den) 80 73, Lotta Wahlin (SWE) 74 79, Ji-Na Lim (Kor) 79 74, Felicity Johnson (Eng) 74 79.
154 Kiran Matharu (Eng) 80 74, Nikki Garrett (Aus) 76 78, Cecilia Ekelundh (Swe) 83 71, Lynn Kenny (Sco) 80 74, Samantha Head (Eng) 83 71, Rosemary MacDonald (Aus) 77 77, Anna Tybring (Swe) 79 75, Emma Cabrera-Bello (Spa) 75 79, Sakura Yokomine (Jpn) 77 77, Karen Lunn (Aus) 80 74.

MISSED THE CUT
155 Loraine Lambert (Aus) 79 76, Anja Monke (Ger) 74 81, Nina Reis (Swe) 75 80, Sophie Sandolo (Ita) 82 73, Diana Luna (Ita) 76 79, Stefanie Michl (Aut) 80 75, Mi Sun Cho (Kor) 75 80, Titiya Plucksataporn (Tha) 76 79, Jenny Lee (Aus) 80 75, Susie Mathews (Aus) 80 75
156 Sarah Kemp (Aus) 79 77, Kristie Newton (Aus) 78 78, Johanna Westerberg (Swe) 80 76, Georgina Simpson (Eng) 78 78, Ludivine Kreutz (Fra) 78 78, Rebecca Coakley (Irl) 78 78, Ran Hong (Kor) 81 75
157 Eun-Hee Kim (SKor) 78 79, Nikki Campbell (Aus) 80 77, Ellie Na (SKor) 79 78, Karen Quinn (Aus) 78 79, Carlie Butler (Aus) 77 80, Rachel Duncan (Aus) 76 81, Lydia Hall (Wal) 76 81, Sarah-Jane Kenyon (Aus) 76 81, Louise Stahle (Swe) 79 78, Maggie Yuan (Chn) 76 81, Katy Jarochowicz (Aus) 79 78
158 Suzie Fisher (Aus) 79 79, Eva Steinberger (Aut) 80 78, Melanie Holmes-Smith (Aus) 79 79, Lynn Brooky (Nzl) 81 77, Diana D'Alessio (USA) 76 82, Jade Schaeffer (Fra) 80 78, Danielle Montgomery (Eng) 80 78, Hiromi Kamata (Jpn) 78 80, Marousa Polias (Aus) 79 79, Wendy Berger (Aus) 75 83, Rachel Bailey (Aus) 78 80, Geraldine Brown (Aus) 78 80, Breanna Elliott (Aus) 83 75
159 Min-Gee Song (Kor) 78 81, Elizabeth McKinnon (Nzl) 79 80, Karen Pearce (Aus) 79 80, Torie O'Connor (Aus) 79 80, Whitney Hillier (Aus) 82 77, Lynne Brown (Aus) 81 78
160 Stephanie Na (Aus) 80 80, Virada Nirapathpongporn (Tha) 81 79, Melodie Bourdy (Fra) 82 78, Lisa Jean (Aus) 82 78, Heidi McCulkin (Aus) 79 81, Sharon O'Neill (Aus) 77 83, Bettina Hauert (Ger) 82 78, Tania Elosegui (Spa) 82 78, Stacy Lee Bregman (Rsa) 79 81
161 Vikki Tutt (Aus) 81 80, Nathalie David-Mila (Fra) 81 80, Ji Won Yoon (Kor) 80 81, Dana Lacey (Aus) 80 81, Beatriz Recari (Spa) 82 79, Corinne Furnell (Aus) 81 80
162 Bree Turnbull (Aus) 81 81, Cassandra Kirkland (Fra) 86 76, Tamara Hyett (Aus) 80 82, Bree Arthur (Aus) 78 84, Elisabeth Esterl (Ger) 81 81, Belinda Kerr (Aus) 81 81, Lill Kristin Saether (Nor) 83 79
163 Mianne Bagger (Den) 82 81, Marjet van der Graaff (Nzl) 82 81, Courtney Massey (Aus) 84 79
164 Shani Waugh (Aus) 82 82, Leah Hart (Aus) 84 80, Vittoria Valvassori (Ita) 80 84
165 Jane Suckling (Aus) 84 81
166 Tara Shimmin (Aus) 85 81, Bronwyn Mullins-Lane (Aus) 85 81
167 Karen-Margrethe Juul (Den) 87 80
168 Anna Rossi (Ita) 80 88, Justine Lee (Aus) 82 86
171 Sunny Park (Aus) 80 91
177 Nicole Picken (Aus) 91 86
Retired: Sophie Giquel (Fra) 76 --