Born: Coventry, 5 Oct 1963 Turned pro: 1985 LPGA victories: 20 Major wins: US Women's Open (1987), McDonald's LPGA Championship (1994, 1996), du Maurier Classic (1996)

The former world number one has been overshadowed as one of women's golf's biggest stars since the formidable Swede took a stranglehold on the game.

But the Briton could accomplish something not even the hugely successful Sorenstam has managed if she reaches the last two rounds in Australia.

LPGA Hall of Famer Sorenstam missed the cut in the Colonial tournament on the men's US Tour last year after becoming the first woman to compete against the men in 58 years.

She was followed by Suzy Whaley and Hawaii's 14-year-old prodigy Michelle Wie, who also missed cuts in men's events.

Davies, too, fell short in the men's Korean Open last October, but the stableford format - where points are accumulated at each hole according to the player's score - could suit her game next month.

The 40-year-old from Coventry has been a towering presence in golf since turning pro in 1985.

Her physical strength, which ensures impressive length off the tee, belies a deft short game and natural talent for the sport which has traditionally seen her shun heavy practice.

Davies (left) with European Solheim Cup captain Catrin Nilsmark

She won the European women's Order of Merit as a rookie in 1985 and defended the title the following year.

Davies became the first British winner of the US Women's Open when she clinched a play-off at Plainfield, New Jersey in 1987.

Shortly after, she joined the Ladies PGA Tour in America and has since limited her European appearances to a handful of events each year.

In 1994 she was the first European player to be ranked world number one and in 1996 named US Player of the Year.

So far, she has won 20 tournaments on the LPGA Tour and over 60 in all, including four majors - US Women's Open (1987), McDonald's LPGA Championship (1994, 1996), du Maurier Classic (1996).

Davies still needs to land the Kraft Nabisco Championship to earn a career Grand Slam and a place in the Hall of Fame despite career earnings of $6.5m (�3.6m).

The Surrey-based star, who holds MBE and CBE honours, has also played in every Solheim Cup match for Europe since its inauguration in 1990

But by the end of the last decade her star began to wane as Sorenstam began her stellar rise.

She went 15 months without victory before landing the Rochester Invitational in June 2001 - her last LPGA win - following a change of clubs, laser surgery on her eyes and more rigorous practise, encouraged by her friend John Daly.

But the 5ft 10in player has yet to regain the heights she once enjoyed and slipped to 19th on the LPGA money list in 2003.

Her last international win was at the ANZ Ladies Masters in Australia 12 months ago.

But Davies, who is already set to become the first women to compete in a men's European Tour event, could create another piece of history with two good rounds on 12 and 13 February in New South Wales.