Johnson back in frame with 66

Trish Johnson set the target of seven under par yesterday as the Briton stepped up her campaign for a second home win of the season with a second-round 66 in the Chart Hills Classic in Kent.

Trish Johnson set the target of seven under par yesterday as the Briton stepped up her campaign for a second home win of the season with a second-round 66 in the Chart Hills Classic in Kent.

The winner of the British Masters last month, Johnson staged a spectacular finale to move one ahead of the overnight leaders, Isabella Maconi and Joanne Mills, who were both late starters.

Out in a one-under score of 35, Johnson birdied three holes in a row from the 11th and then chipped in at the 17th and holed from four feet for a three at the par four 18th for a back nine of 31.

"That was a real fun day," said Johnson. "I'm definitely playing the best golf of my career at the moment and I just hope I can keep it going until the Solheim Cup next month. I hit every fairway and the only green I missed was the 17th - and then I chipped in."

The European Solheim side for Loch Lomond in October will be named after this event and France's Marine Monnet did her chances of selection no harm with a fine 68 for three under 141.

Laura Davies, joint third after an opening 68, was another late starter.

Chart Hill Classic (Chart Hills, Kent) Early second-round scores (GB & Irl unless stated): 137 T Johnson 71 66. 140 I Tinning (Den) 69 71. 141 A Gottmo (Swe) 70 71; M Monnet (Fr) 73 68. 142 H Dobson 73 69; L Hed (Swe) 69 73; J Leary (Aus) 74 68; E Esterl (Ger) 70 72. 143 T Hjertstedt (Swe) 73 70; K Marshall 73 70. 146 K Taylor 74 72; T Fischer (Ger) 75 71; EJ Clifford 73 73; S Head 73 73; J Forbes 74 72; S Pettersen 77 69. 147 L Fairclough 73 74; M Hedberg (Swe) 72 75; J Head 73 74. 148 N Fink (Aut) 76 72; J Oliver 73 75; AM Knight (Aus) 73 75. 149 H Hopkins (Aus) 71 78; ML de Lorenzi (Fr) 78 71; F Dassu (It) 75 74. 150 L Maaref (Tun) 73 77. 153 M Lojdahl (Swe) 75 78; S Dallongeville (Fr) 76 77. 154 J Jail (Swe) 78 76. 156 M Burstrom (Swe) 81 75; R Nugent 80 76; C Grady 77 79. 157 K MacIntosh (Aus) 81 76.