Sweden's Carin Koch, who holed the winning putt for Europe at the 2000 Solheim Cup, enhanced her reputation as one of the world's leading players with a second successive 68 to share the halfway lead with Taiwan's Candie Kung on eight-under-par 136 here in the women's Weetabix British Open yesterday.

But the foul weather helped claim some big-name victims in the final major of the season. Absentees from the final 36 holes include the world number one Annika Sorenstam, the US Open champion Juli Inkster and Laura Davies, the 1986 champion who had been glowing with confidence following her win in the Norwegian Masters last week.

The guillotine fell at one-over and Davies, after a bogey, double-bogey finish for a 75, finished at five-over on 149. "There's very little to say except that not to be here tomorrow is a massive disappointment," she said with tears in her eyes.

For Sweden's Sorenstam, the favourite who arrived with seven titles to her name this season, a 77 for 150 ended a record run of 74 tournaments without missing a cut on the US-based LPGA Tour. As for Europe, the only other blemish was in this event during her rookie season, 1993.

"It is a bummer," said the 31-year-old who flew into Scotland last week and played at Troon, Glasgow Gailes and Prestwick to help polish her links game. "I came here feeling good and had prepared exactly the way I wanted.

"Normally I am a very straight hitter, but I haven't hit it straight all week and when you get into the long stuff it is very difficult to make pars. I love this type of weather and love the golf course. But I guess it just wasn't my week."

Inkster, America's number one and a six-time major winner, came to grief with a 78 for 153, her solitary birdie coming at the long 17th and far too late.

Kung followed her course-record 65 with a 71, while for Koch, with five birdies, the final two days promise to be among the most exciting of her career. Once noted for her tantrums on course, she is now a much more mellow 31-year-old mother and her notoriety this year shifted to her win in a Playboy poll to pick the sexiest player on the LPGA Tour. She is a previous winner once on the LPGA Tour and once on its European equivalent.

Though she turned down the chance to pose naked for the magazine, the blue-eyed blonde with girlish pigtails took the "honour" in good humour. "It was quite fun and drew a little more attention to me and to women's golf," she said. "That's got to be good."

She and Kung lead by a shot from Australia's Karrie Webb, a two-time former winner, Spain's Paula Marti and the Americans Tina Barrett and Beth Bauer.

Mhairi McKay, the home club member, was the leading Briton but a 72 for a four-under 140 left her four behind the leaders. Webb, the world number three, is the slight favourite after a 71 but having grown up in the balmy heat of north Queensland, she did not exactly savour the conditions. "I feel my game is in the best shape it's been all year," she said, however. Guardian Service