Matthew begins her US bid

NORTH BERWICK'S Catriona Matthew, who started the year with a top 12 finish in the HSBC Women's Open in Singapore, was set to launch her United States season at today's Safeway International in Arizona.

Scotland's No.1 has already got an eye on next week's first major, though, the Kraft Nabisco Championship in California.

It was following seven months of maternity leave that Matthew made a superb return to action last year when she finished fourth in the Safeway and then went on to tie for second place behind American teenager Morgan Pressel in the Kraft Nabisco at Mission Hills.

It was the start of a great run in the women's majors in 2007 and she was in the top 20 in the US Women's Open. She said: "I know the Mission Hills course that hosts the Nabisco very well and have had a few high finishes so I'm really looking forward to it."