Golf: NZ golf team playing for last position

The New Zealand women's golf team's high expectations in the Commonwealth tournament in Vancouver have turned into disappointment following their third successive 2-4 loss, this time to Great Britain.

For the first time the Kiwis lost both foursomes matches and recovered to win two of the four singles matches. But they will still be contesting the last places today with South Africa, who have also lost all their matches.

New Zealand's No 1 pairing, Lisa Aldridge and Tina Howard, were under par but they still could not contain Britons Kim Andrew and Beccy Morgan whose short game was on fire.

There was never more than a one-hole difference and Andrew and Morgan finally emerged victorious by holing a big putt for birdie on the 18th to win one up.

Catherine Knight and the recalled Pam Sowden were beaten 3 and 2 by Fiona Brown and Rebecca Hudson, but Sowden recorded her first win of the tournament by beating Anne Laing 4 and 3 in the singles.

Aldridge continued to be New Zealand's most consistent player. With some aggressive play, she fired three birdies to be four up after nine holes against Morgan in the No 1 singles.

Morgan birdied the 12th hole but a par on the 15th was good enough for Aldridge to win the match 4 and 3.

Unbeaten Australia, who had the bye yesterday, play hosts Canada today to decide the championship.

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New Zealanders Philip Tataurangi, with time running out to make the top 125 on the United States PGA Tour and retain his player's ticket, is among the leaders after the first round of the Air Canada Championship in Surrey, British Columbia.

Tataurangi, who finished third in this event two years ago, fired five birdies for a 66 to be tied for fifth with two others, three shots behind the leader, Brandt Jobe who had a 8-under 63.

American Peter Jacobsen was one stroke further back on 64.

Frank Nobilo, who also has to move fast to make the top 125, had an interesting first round of 69 to stay in contention. He bogeyed the first three holes, then birdied the next five before having his first par on the ninth.

Meanwhile, Seve Ballesteros finished 12 shots behind first-round leader American Tom Gillis in the European Masters tournament in Switzerland amid criticism of his Crans-sur-Sierre course remodelling.

Only 23 players broke par and just nine in the field of 156 were under 70 on a course renowned for low scoring. Among those over par were New Zealanders Michael Campbell and Michael Long, who shot rounds of 72 and 73 respectively.