Scotland's Catriona Matthew covered the back nine in a spectacular 30 in a second round 67 and shared the halfway lead with Italy’s Gulia Sergas in the £1.2M Ricoh Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

Vikki Liang made it two Scots into the weekend when she survived a few nervous moments and shot 80 to make the cut on the final mark of nine over par.

With second daughter Sophie 11 weeks old today, Matthew had an eagle three, a hole in one and then four birdies in a terrific back nine of 30 over the tough Open Championship links.

“I’m delighted with my score,” said Matthew, who had just ten putts on a back nine that was only slightly marred by a bogey at the 17th.

“I really got it going and seven under par over this course rates as my best ever nine holes.” 

“I sank a putt from six feet for a three at the long 11th and then holed my eight iron from 152 yards for the hole in one at the 12th. It’s the first time I’ve ever had back-to-back eagles and it as my fourth hole in one. Strangely, two came in the British Open at Sunningdale.”

Two years ago, Matthew was tied for second at the halfway stage of the Open at St Andrews, but she tumbled to an 80 on a windswept Saturday at the Old Course and eventually finished seventh. 

But she says she learned from the experience. “The wind blew me off course a little, but this time I know I have to try and hang in there and be patient.”
 
Laing, in the top seven after a first round 73, played late in the day and had to cope with heavy rain and long delays. She had a terrible run with six dropped shots in five holes from the fifth, and a bogey at the 17th put her on the final mark.

But she made safe regulation par four at the last and immediately expressed her relief. “I’m just so pleased to have made it,” said the 28-year-old, whose anxious parents were watching from the sidelines. “I couldn’t hit a fairway today and it was brutally slow and tough out there.

“But now it is two new days and, hopefully, I can get out nice and early tomorrow and start holing a few putts.”