Golf: Catriona Mathew survives slip in Carlsbad

CATRIONA MATTHEW is still leading the European challenge despite slipping a few places down the leaderboard after the second round of the Kia Championship in Carlsbad, California .

Two off the pace after an opening 68, the North Berwick star had a 75 yesterday and dropped back to one-under-par for the tournament. She was out in 39, repaired some of the damage with back-to-back birdies at the tenth and 11th only to give those shots back with bogeys at the 14th and 16th.

Nevertheless, Matthew went into the final two rounds just six shots behind the leader, Hee Kyung Seo of South Korea.

On this side of the Atlantic, Stephen Gallacher led the Lothians challenge going into today's third round of the Andalucian in Malaga. Gallacher was on three-under – seven off the lead – with David Drysdale (one-under), Andrew Oldcorn (level) and Richie Ramsay (level) having also made the cut.

In Nairobi, Jamie McLeary and Lloyd Saltman both made the cut on one-over in the Kenya Open.

At Whitekirk, Greig Hutcheon won the inugural Xltec Pro Golf Tour event with a three-under-par 69.