Lunn continues quest for glory by carding two under par 71

AUSTRALIAN Karen Lunn continued her quest to win for the first time in six years

The 37-year-old from Sydney, who is now based in Ottershaw in Surrey, leads by a shot in Tuscany from close friend Lynnette Brooky, who backed up her opening 69 with a 72. Compatriot Anne-Marie Knight who had 68 lies third, ahead of local favourite Silvia Cavalleri from Milan, who shot 70.

Six players are tied for fifth place on two under par including the Italian trio of Veronica Zorzi, Diana Luna and Sophie Sandolo, Ludivine Kreutz from France, England's Alison Nicholas, who had a 70 and Corinne Dibnah, from Australia, who fired the best of the day 66, which included eight birdies.

Lunn, whose last win came at the 1997 French Open, started her second round in shaky form with a double bogey seven at the 13th, her fourth hole of the day.

But after a birdie at the 18th, she reached the turn just one shot in debt and promptly made amends with birdies at the opening two holes on the front nine.

Her final birdie came from 25 feet at the uphill par three sixth hole.

"It was a bit scrappy at first out there today, but I got it back okay," said Lunn, who led going into the final round at the same course last year.

"I thinned one through the green at the 13th into really deep rough, but after that, I played well and even felt I left a few shots out there."

The two teams for this November's Seve Trophy match at El Saler in Spain - Continental Europe versus Britain and Ireland will be similar to that announced this week for next year's Ryder Cup.

Four players on each side will come from the world golf rankings, four from the Order of Merit, plus captains Colin Montgomerie and Seve Ballesteros and one wild card each.

The qualifying process began with the BMW Asian Open last November and will continue through to the Telefonica Madrid Open on October 23-26.