Transsexual misses cut at Australian Open

Transsexual golfer Mianne Bagger missed the cut at the women's Australian Open in Sydney on Friday, finishing at 14-over par after two rounds.

Bagger, whose participation in the event has been widely criticised as a publicity stunt, fired a respectable second round of 74 after shooting a disastrous opening round 84.

"It was just really nice to put a solid game together," Bagger, 37, told reporters. "I am very satisfied, it helps give me some credibility that I'm out here for the right reasons."

Briton Laura Davies shot a second round 68 for a 36-hole total of eight-under-par 136 to lead Italy's Sophie Sandolo by four strokes. Australia's Nadina Taylor was a further two shots adrift in third place.

Danish-born Bagger, who started playing golf aged eight, had sex-change surgery in 1995 after a lifetime of feeling "something wasn't quite right."

She started playing social golf again in 1998 and swiftly chalked up amateur victories, winning the South Australian state championship in 1999 and again in 2001 and 2002.

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