Matthew rediscovers her mojo with 67 at first major of season

CATRIONA Matthew surged up the leaderboard following an impressive third-round 67 at the Kraft Nabisco Championship in California.

North Berwick's Matthew had made a slow start to the first major of the year, with opening rounds of 73 and 74, but she moved back into contention yesterday with a five-under round which left her two under for the tournament.

The Scot, who landed her first major at last year's British Open, made the perfect start with an eagle at the par-5 second. Birdies followed at the fifth, sixth and 13th, and although she bogeyed the 17th, she recovered to birdie the par-5 18th to move into a share of 14th place with the leaders still on the course at the Mission Hills Country Club.

England's Karen Stupples was leading the British challenge following the second round after she shot a second consecutive 69 to move within a shot of the lead. Stupples, the 2004 Women's British Open champion, was in a tie for second with world No.1 Lorena Ochoa of Mexico, and American Cristie Kerr on six under par, one stroke adrift of South Korea's Song-hee Kim, who moved to the top of the leaderboard at halfway with a round of 68 on the Dinah Shore Championship course in Rancho Mirage.

"I got off to a really good start, started birdie, birdie," Stupples said of her three-under-par second round. "That's always a good way to go."

Scotland's Janice Moodie missed the cut after rounds of 78 and 76.