The defending net and gross champions have some ground to make up over the next two days of the Mid Ocean Club's 10th Ladies Invitation Tournament which
In the more important net division, last year's winners Patsy McLaughlin of Bermuda and Heather Colhoun of Canada trail first day leaders Sally Madden/Barbara Bennett and Peggy Thompson/Pat Sawin by six strokes.
Madden/Bennett and Thompson/Sawin shot 63s to share the net lead by two strokes over Valerie Nearon of Bermuda and Carol Ratcliffe of Maryland and Ann Boyle of Bermuda and Karen Oldham of Ohio. Both pairs shot 65.
Dolly Winwick of Bermuda and Rosemary Wallis of Surrey, England sit alone on 66. Five teams are tied on 67, preparing for what promises to be a mad dash for the top places.
A further four pairs sit on 68 with five more, including the defending champions who are another stroke back.
Bermudian Madeline Joell-Warren and partner Janina Jacobs of the United States, one of the pairs in the hunt for the net title, are the gross leaders by a two strokes over three other teams.
Joell-Warren and Jacobs shot a two-over par 73 to lead Sally Madden and Barbara Bennett, Ivy Rosser and Ginette Spinucci and Airlie Arton and Lida Kinnicutt, all on 75.
Quinton Sherlock has seen his lead in the 13-14 age group cut to just one stroke going into today's final round of the 12th Glidden Bowl at Belmont.
Sherlock led by five strokes after shooting a 77 on the opening day on Tuesday but he could only manage an 85 yesterday as main threat David James shot an 81 to go with his 82 the day before.
That leaves Sherlock on 162 after two rounds and James on 163. A further three strokes back is Justin Barritt on 166.
Two strokes separate the top pair in the boys 12 and under where Chris Smith leads on 173 and Aaron James follows on 175. Smith had a comfortable 11-stroke lead after the first round, 80 to 91, but his 93 compared to James' 84 sets the stage for an exciting final round today.
Robert Spurling is expected to wrap up the boys 15 and over division where he leads Craig Brown by four strokes, having increased the gap by one stroke from Tuesday when he shot an 81 and Brown an 84.
There are just four strokes separating Brown from fourth-placed Kent Smith, with Michael Sims in between with a two-day score of 163 which is two behind Brown and six behind leader Spurling.
In the girls open where there are just four competitors, Sarah Lindo leads by five strokes over Jennifer Spurling, 199 to 204.
JANINA JACOBS -- Leads gross division with partner Madeline Joell-Warren.
