Catriona Matthew misses cut in season's last major

Moriya Jutanugarn of Thailand established a one-shot lead ahead of todays final round at Evian Resort. Photograph: Getty

A star of the European team at last month’s Solheim Cup in the United States, the North Berwick golfer has never been able to find her best form over the picturesque Evian Resort course.

A first-round 78 left her with a major hill to climb to make the top 70, and a second round of 72, with a birdie at the 18th, left her with five shots too many to survive the 36-hole axe.

With bad weather having wiped out the opening day, the Championship has been reduced to 54 holes.

But there was no such problem for Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn. After a second-round 68 she stood at the top of the leaderboard on nine-under par, a stroke ahead of Japan’s Ayako Uehara (66).

Last month, Jutanugarn was in second place and in the final Sunday pairing at the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns. But she went on to finish in a disappointing tie for 16th at St Andrews.

Today, she will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of her younger sister, Ariya, who became the first Thai golfer to win one of golf’s majors at last year’s Ricoh Women’s British Open.

“When Ariya won the British Open at Woburn last year, I finished not long before her and dashed out to watch her play the last few holes,” recalled the big sister. “It was very stressful and I was nervous and excited. I was very happy for her. I don’t think it is quite so stressful when you are the one playing.”

The 23-year-old added: “It was good for me playing in the last group in a major at Kingsbarns. Everything is a learning experience.

“My aim is to win my first tournament, but I don’t want to put pressure on myself. I’m in a good position and I am sure that it will happen some time. I just keep trying.”

The only sisters to have won on the LPGA Tour are the Swedes Annika and Charlotta Sorenstam. Annika won 72 times, and Charlotta won once – at the 2000 Standard Register Ping in Arizona.

First-round leader Sung Hyun Park followed her 63 with a 73 and was on the same six-under par mark as one of the biggest last round threats, the 2015 champion from New Zealand, Lydia Ko.