Davies shares lead in Austria

England’s Laura Davies birdied five or her last seven holes to grab a share of the third round lead at the Uniqa Women’s Open in Austria.

The defending champion added a five-under-par 67, the low score of the day, to opening rounds of 71 and 67 to tie with the halfway leader Emma Zackrisson of Sweden on 11-under-par at Golfclub Fohrenwald in Wiener Neustadt.

Davies was level for the front nine after a birdie at the first and a bogey at the third but came home with three straight birdies from the 12th followed by two more on the short 16th and par-five 18th holes.

“Overall it was a very satisfactory day,” said the 69-time tournament champion.

“I played okay on the front nine and made nothing and then on the back nine I made some really good putts.

“I made a couple of long ones and ones that I should make from seven or eight feet. On 16 I hit a lovely wedge to about four foot and I holed that.

“Hole 18 was driver, wedge but I hit a very poor wedge just through the back but a very good chip and a putt so it was a good finish.”

Davies’ most recent victory was at the LG Bing Lee Women’s New South Wales Open on the Australian Ladies Professional Golf Tour in January but she hasn’t been in contention since.

She continued: “I have a chance tomorrow and that’s all you can ever ask for.

“I haven’t had a chance for a few months so this will be nice tomorrow to come up here thinking about trying to win rather than just trying to get some sort of a decent finish.

“The last three weeks it’s been a big turnaround and the confidence is coming back.”

German first year player Denise-Charlotte Becker, who played with Davies in the third round, finished two shots back in third on nine-under-par after a 69.

Becker was thrilled to have played with Davies and said: “It was amazing. It was such a great feeling to play with the former world number one. It was a great round with her.

“The first nine holes I was very nervous and I thought, ”Oh my God, I’m playing with Laura Davies.

“Then I said: ’Okay, come on, play your game and don’t be nervous, you can do it!’ Then I made some birdies.”

The 2008 Open de Portugal champion Anne-Lise Caudal of France and England’s Lisa Hall finished the day tied for fourth with the 2004 Tenerife Open champion Diana Luna of Italy on eight-under-par.