Davies unable to defy the doubters

Alex Lowe,Australia
Saturday 14 February 2004 01:00 GMT
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Laura Davies put on a brave face here yesterday but is unlikely to repeat her European Tour experience after missing the cut at the ANZ Championship by 22 points.

The former world No 1, who became the first woman to compete in a European Tour event after being extended a controversial invitation, had set her sights on making the cut and proving to her detractors she was worthy of a place in the field. In the end, however, Davies merely strengthened the argument of those who believe women should not play in men's tournaments as she shot an 83 to finish the modified stableford event on -13 points.

Only the Australian Shane Tait, who walked the last three holes with a back injury and signed for a score of -21, finished behind her.

"It just wasn't to be was it?" said Davies, who ended 40 points behind the halfway leader, Steve Webster. "You never say never but no, I wouldn't accept if I was invited to play in another event.

"I know I could never have got to 27 points [like Webster] after two days but I still feel I could have done a hell of a lot better if it had been mid-year and I was firing on all cylinders.

"But I'm glad I did it, at least I had a go. I would rather have had a go and not made the cut and finished poorly than just to sit back and turn the invitation down because I would always have been wondering. Now I know.

"It is nice to try and challenge yourself. I don't necessarily take it as failing, it's just it didn't work out on the week. I'm disappointed because it just proves right those people who said 'She shouldn't play'."

Webster sat proudly atop the leaderboard on 27 points after storming into the lead with a second impressive round of 66 in as many days.The Australian Nick O'Hern is a point adrift with the defending champion, Paul Casey, and the Frenchman Thomas Levet on 23.

In San Diego, California, the much-anticipated showdown between the world No 1, Tiger Woods, and the No 2, Vijay Singh, failed to materialise yesterday. Both players shot one-under-par 71s to trail the first-round leader, Kevin Stadler, by seven strokes at the Buick Invitational.

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