Weather gives Matthew the runaround

IT was a good day's work wasted for North Berwick's Catriona Matthew when the second round of the Sybase Classic in New Jersey was abandoned due to torrential rain, writes ELSPETH BURNSIDE.

The Scot had moved into a tie for the lead on six under par after seven holes of her second round but, with no one having completed a full round before the floods called a halt, all the scores were wiped out. The tournament at Upper Montclair Country Club will now be contested over 54 holes, and Matthew will have to start her second round all over again today. It means she still stands on four under par, a first round 68 putting her a shot behind the trio of Annika Sorenstam, South Korea's Song-Hee Kim and Australia's eight-time Tour winner Rachel Hetherington.

In the second round, Matthew had started at the tenth and picked up shots at the 11th and 13th before play was stopped when she reached her eighth hole. At that stage, she was tied at the top with Hetherington, who was one under for the day through seven holes.

Glasgow's Janice Moodie, the only other Scot in the line-up, was on four over par 76. Matthew was in a six-way tie for fourth place after the opening 68, and on the same score as world No.1 Lorena Ochoa.