LAURA DAVIES equalled the lowest round in European women's tour history with a nine birdie 63 at Hanbury Manor today.

Six behind at the start of her second round of the Marks and Spencer European Open, the World number one finished the day leading Australian Corinne Dibnah by three on the 11 under par total of 133.

A 63 has now been achieved six times on the circuit - and Davies has been the player to do it on three of those occasions.

"I played alright," was the 32 year old's modest assessment of her performance, which puts her on course to be top of both the European and American money lists tomorrow night.

Davies began by driving the green at the 310 yard first, then needed only a wedge for her second shot to the 445 yard par five second.

She two pulled both for birdies, then chipped to four feet at the seventh to be out in 33. A seven iron to two feet on the 170 yard 11th gave her a fourth birdie and she finished with five in a row for an inward 30.

Maureen Mad ill from Portstewart moved through the field with a fine second round of 68 to finish at one under par on 143.

Starting from the 10th tee early in the day Madill opened with regulation figures at her first seven holes then birdied the long 17th followed by another birdie at the next where she struck an eight iron to within 18 inches of the hole.

A putt of 15 feet produced another birdie at the second then Madill made putts of 20 and 15 feet for two at both the short fourth and sixth holes before missing the green at the seventh for her solitary bogey of the day.

But an unrewarding season for Tracy Eakin from Laytown and Bettystown continued when she missed the cut for the seventh time when a 77 left her on 153.