Golf: Ko shares lead at NZ Women's Open

Lydia Ko. Photo /Getty Images

Lydia Ko has battled her way into contention going into tomorrow's final round of the New Zealand Open after the world No 1 amateur posted a three under par 69 to be in a six-way share of the lead.

The-14-year old, one of the smallest in the field, coped with the blustery winds best to shoot a 69 to match her opening-round score at the Pegasus Golf and Sports Club near Christchurch.

She was four under for her round and the outright leader at seven under before she made a bogey at the penultimate hole.

"The goal for today was five under but I don't feel like I didn't achieve what I wanted to because I played good and I putted good so I am happy,'' the North Shore golfer said.

Nearly 4000 fans came out to watch the tournament today with Ko once again attracting the biggest galleries. She didn't disappoint as she mixed five birdies with two bogeys.

A number of players took advantage of the still morning conditions to move up the leaderboard, headed by the trio of Colombia's Mariajo Uribe (68), Australia's Lindsey Wright (68) and former Northlander Haeji Kang (Korea, 69) to share the clubhouse lead on six-under par. The winds picked up early in the afternoon with strong southerlies proving a challenge.

Uribe, a former US amateur champion currently playing on the LPGA Tour, at one stage had moved to a two-shot lead before dropping shots at the final two holes when the winds grew in strength.

"I was trying to think about the positive things about finishing with two bogeys. That happened in Brazil when I won. I was thinking the same people are in contention,'' Uribe said.

"It is going to be fun. This course is interesting with the wind. It makes it tough. Even if it is windy, you are playing with the same people you are contending with at the same time.''

Wright had to play "the best shot of her life'' to remain in contention after an eagle from the rough on the par-4 sixth hole.

"I hit it right of the bunker on six and it got stuck in the grass. I went 'bugger'. I had 128 yards to the hole and had a little seven iron. It was the best shot I ever played. And then it went in. That was a real bonus because I was thinking about if I could even make par.''

Kang is playing in New Zealand for the first time since spending three years in Northland as a teenager. Kang's family moved to New Zealand for her education and her golf, before moving to Australia to further develop her game.

The attention tomorrow, however, will be on Ko as she tries to make more golf history. The youngest winner in professional golf history is hoping that the inclement weather arrives tomorrow as she plays her best golf in the wind.

"At Royal Melbourne [last week] it was windy the last two days and they were my best two scores,'' she said. "I will just play my game. I will try and hit the fairways and hopefully a few more putts will drop. It should be fun.''

LEADERBOARD
138: Lindsey Wright (AUS) 70 68, Mariajo Uribe (COL) 70 68, Haeji Kang (KOR) 69 69, Lydia Ko (Am, NZL) 69 69, Carlota Ciganda (ESP) 69 69, Alison Walshe (USA) 68 70
139 Cindy Lacrosse (USA) 72 67, Lorie Kane (CAN) 72 67, Julia Boland (AUS) 71 68, Stephanie Na (AUS) 70 69, Gerina Piller (USA) 68 71
140: Cara Freeman (USA) 70 70, Danielle Kang (USA) 68 72
141: Sarah-Jane Smith (AUS) 71 70, Beth Allen (USA) 70 71, Kris Tamulis (USA) 70 71, Sarah Oh (AUS) 69 72
142: Alison Whitaker (AUS) 74 68, Rachel Jennings (ENG) 72 70, Cecilia Cho (Am, NZL) 70 72, Pernilla Lindberg (SWE) 70 72, Grace Lennon (Am, AUS) 70 72, Jessica Speechley (AUS) 69 73, Jaclyn Sweeney (USA) 68 74, Amelia Lewis (USA) 68 74, Joanna Klatten (FRA) 67 75
143: Mo Martin (USA) 76 67, Bree Arthur (AUS) 74 69, Sydnee Michaels (USA) 73 70, Frances Bondad (AUS) 72 71, Kristie Smith (AUS) 71 72, Irene Cho (USA) 71 72, Linda Wessberg (SWE) 70 73, Elizabeth Bennett (ENG) 68 75, Lynnette Brooky (NZL) 67 76, Emily Perry (Am, NZL) 67 76
144: Veronica Zorzi (ITA) 72 72, Jane Kim (AUS) 71 73, Laura Diaz (USA) 71 73, Meredith Duncan (USA) 70 74, Hannah Yun (USA) 68 76, Kym Larratt (ENG) 67 77
145: Titiya Plucksataporn (THA) 73 72, Sarah Kemp (AUS) 73 72, Karen Lunn (AUS) 73 72, Cathryn Bristow (NZL) 72 73, Vikki Laing (SCO) 70 75, Sara Brown (USA) 70 75
146: Susan Farron (NZL) 74 72, Whitney Hillier (Am, AUS) 74 72, Marianne Skarpnord (NOR) 73 73, Caroline Bon (NZL) 73 73, Georgina Simpson (ENG) 71 75
147: Valentine Derrey (FRA) 76 71, Jodi Ewart (ENG) 76 71, Minsun Kim (KOR) 75 72, Danah Bordner (USA) 72 75, Charlie Douglass (ENG) 71 76

The following players did not make the cut:
148: Heather Bowie Young (USA) 74 74, Kendall Dye (USA) 73 75, Jean Chua (MAL) 68 80
149: Cecilie Lundgreen (NOR) 78 71, Sharmila Nicolett (IND) 78 71, Sarah Bradley (Am, NZL) 77 72, Chantelle Cassidy (Am, NZL) 75 74, Kylie Walker (SCO) 75 74, Tamara Johns (AUS) 74 75, Kiran Matharu (ENG) 73 76, Becky Brewerton (WAL) 69 80
150: Karlin Beck (USA) 76 74, Connie Chen (ZAF) 74 76, Kathleen Ekey (USA) 74 76
151: Clare Queen (SCO) 80 71, Laurette Maritz (ZAF) 79 72, Line Vedel (DEN) 79 72, Stephanie Kirchmayr (GER) 75 76, Su-Ann Heng (Singapore) 75 76, Ayaka Kaneko (JPN) 74 77
152: Vicky Thomas (AUS) 82 70, Gina Scott (NZL) 79 73, Felicity Johnson (ENG) 78 74, Danielle Montgomery (AUS) 75 77, Mianne Bagger (DEN) 72 80
153: Courtney Massey (AUS) 78 75, Hei-Ji Kim (KOR) 77 76, Katelyn Must (AUS) 77 76, Liz McKinnon (NZL) 75 78
154: Emily McLennan (Am, AUS) 76 78
155: Jiyoon Jin (KOR) 79 76, Jody Fleming (AUS) 77 78, Heather Macrae (SCO) 77 78, Sunny Park (AUS) 76 79, Caroline Martens (NOR) 73 82
156: Se-Hee Woo (KOR) 82 74, Sarah King (AUS) 81 75, Zoe-Beth Brake (Am, NZL) 77 79
157: Sylvie Williams (Am, NZL) 82 75, Julianne Alvarez (Am, NZL) 77 80
158: Joanne Mils (AUS) 82 76, Jenna Hunter (NZL) 80 78, Julie Tvede (DEN) 79 79
162: Corie Hou (AUS) 84 78
165: Phillis Meti (NZL) 85 80, Brittany Bomar (USA) 79 86
173: Bree Turnbull (AUS) 81 92, Georgia Wayman (Am, NZL) 83 90
DQ: Charlotte Thomas (Am, NZL) 68