England fall further behind at Sun City

England fell out of the running for the Women’s World Cup with a nightmare start to the foursomes at Sun City in South Africa today.

Already six behind South Korea after a five under-par 67 in the fourballs, Trish Johnson and Danielle Masters – a late replacement for Kirsty Taylor - bogeyed the first, double-bogeyed the second and dropped another shot on the next.

The pair turned in 40 to be only one-under, 16th of the 20 teams in the event and now 10 adrift of Ji-Yai Shin and Eun-Hee Ji.

Canadians Lorie Kane and Alena Sharp moved into second place, two behind at nine-under after six holes of their round, with France’s Gwladys Nocera and Virginie Lagoutte-Clement dropping to joint fourth by covering the same stretch in three over.

Welsh duo Becky Brewerton and Becky Morgan were alongside them after birdies at the sixth and eighth for an outward 34, but Scots Catriona Matthew and Mhairi McKay remained four-under with seven to play and stood 12th.