Lydia Ko has stormed into contention in the latest stop on the LPGA Tour after firing a tournament-best second round on Saturday morning.
After recording a disappointing two-over par 74 in the opening round, Ko flashed the talent that has netted her over $NZ15m career earnings as part of ablistering round of 65 today.
Ko led all players with her seven-under score which included seven birdies - three in the final three holes of her opening nine.
"Yesterday I had had enough of my game and my golf... today I just came in saying I would try and play the best I can with a lot of confidence and my irons and the shots going into the green were really good so that set up a lot of birdie opportunities and I was able to make a few of them," Ko told media after completing her round.
Ko - who holds the course record of 62 at Tiburón Golf Club in Florida - said she took some hope from previous performances at the CME Group Tour Championship, but found that the freedom of knowing she was so far out of contention actually helped her relax and focus on her own game, rather than any pressure on the leaderboard.
"Today, really, when I was going out there I was really wanting to play the best golf I can, and not really think about my position and I think that definitely helped."
The scintillating round vaulted Ko from 59th to a tie for 11th place at the halfway stage of the tournament, four shots behind Korea's Jin Young Ko.
The CME Group Tour Championship is the final tournament of the year on the LPGA Tour.
