Golf: Cho in touch with leaders

Cecilia Cho of New Zealand drives. Photo / Getty Images

Auckland teenager Cecilia Cho is still comfortably co-existing with the professionals at the halfway point of the Australian Ladies Masters golf tournament on the Gold Coast today.

The 16-year-old followed her solid opening round 69 with a 5-under par 67 to comfortably survive the cut at the Royal Pines resort.

Cho, who crafted six birdies today, was in an nine-way tie for 16th heading into the weekend and the leading amateur along with Australia's Minjee Lee.

She was four shots adrift of joint leaders Stacy Lewis of the United States and Australia's Kristie Smith.

They fired 7-under 65s for a two round 12-under tally off 132, a slender one shot advantage over last weekend's Australian Open winner Yani Tseng of Chinese Taipei.

New Zealand's Sarah Nicholson can also gear up for a potential surge up the leaderboard tomorrow after back-to-back 69s left her grouped in 33rd on 6-under.

However, veteran Lynn Brooky's tournament ended once she signed for a 1-over 73 and a two round score of 144, one over the card and not enough to prolong her involvement.

Cathryn Bristow was another casualty despite a 2-under 70 today while Caroline Bon, Stacy Tate and Phillis Mete were also culled.

Long drive specialist Meti at least made a dramatic seven shot improvement on her disastrous 80 yesterday before bowing out in second last position.

- NZPA