LEADERBOARD -5 Annika Sorenstam (Swe) -2 Cristie Kerr (US) Meg Mallon (US) -1 Beth Daniel (US) Se Ri Pak (Kor)

The 40-year-old Briton carded a disappointing round of 81 to lie 12 shots off the pace in joint 16th spot.

Defending champion Annika Sorenstam made the most of Davies' bad luck to move into a three-shot lead.

"I'm feeling fine now and couldn't be happier with my position," said the Swede, who had been suffering from an eye infection earlier in the week.

Davies had started her day more than pleased with her position as she moved two clear of the field thanks to a 40-foot eagle at the par-four sixth.

But her early good work was undone at the eighth where she hit three balls into the water to sink to a triple-bogey seven.

She followed that up with a double-bogey at the next hole before completing her horror round with a quintuple-bogey eight at the 17th.

"It was the tee shot into water at the eighth that started it all," Davies said. "There's not much more to say."

American duo Meg Mallon and Cristie Kerr lead the chasing pack on two under with South Korea's Se Ri Pak and American Beth Daniel a shot further back.