Dutch Delight At Prince’s

As Anna handed in a second-round card this morning of 73 for a 143 aggregate, Mette had matched that 15 minutes earlier, reversing those scores.

But Mette, who came within a putt of winning the Italian Ladies Open in 1999, thought she'd scuppered her chances at the 14th, where she ran up a double bogey after fairway bunker trouble and the inevitable three putts.

The next hole, a long par-five, was her salvation. A fine drive followed by a five-wood of some 200 yards left a 20-foot putt which she duly holed for an eagle.

The play-off took up little of her time. As Anna found the rough on the right off the tee at the 385-yard first, and could only hack out some 40 yards onto the fairway, Mette, from the middle of the fairway, surprisingly over hit an eight-iron just off the back of the green.

An exquisite chip and run with a seven iron to three feet regained her advantage, and after Mrs. Smith missed her par from 12 feet, Hageman took her time in dispatching the winning putt, and taking the title at her first attempt.

Now the former chairman of the Ladies European Tour heads back to Holland for this week's Dutch Match-Play Championship.