DEFENDING champion Hayley Davis was hot on the heels of leader Charlotte Ellis at the halfway stage of the English women’s championship at West Sussex GC yesterday.

The Ferndown star was one of three players on one-under-par, just a stroke behind fellow international Ellis.

Dorset’s English Under-15 champion Georgia Hall (Remedy Oak), meanwhile, was on course for the matchplay stage with a three-over-par score.

After today’s second strokeplay round the top 32 players will qualify for the matchplay stages which start tomorrow.

The final will be played on Saturday morning.