Golf: NZer second in world rankings

Cecilia Cho. Photo / Richard Robinson.

Teenage golfer Cecilia Cho has jumped up the world amateur rankings to second place ahead of next week's world amateur teams championships in Argentina.

Cho, 15, is a two-time national amateur champion and Australian amateur runner-up. She is at an all-time high on the world amateur golf rankings behind Sweden's Caroline Hadwall.

Cho leads the New Zealand team off to Argentina to prepare for the Espirito Santo Trophy that tees off in Buenos Aires next Wednesday.

It is the highest ranking for any New Zealand amateur golfer since Danny Lee became world No 1 two years ago.

Cho's Espirito Santo team-mate, 13-year-old Lydia Ko (North Harbour), has also moved up the rankings to No 9.

New Zealand Golf high performance manager Simon Poll said the rankings were a real boost.

"It shows we have two absolutely world class players in terms of the official rankings and that should give some confidence to this very young team.

"We are certainly hopeful of a strong showing in Argentina into the top-10 in what will be a tough and high quality competition."

Cho, Ko and Caroline Bon (Northland) are among the 54 teams to contest the 72-hole team strokeplay event where the best two scores count each round.

New Zealand has finished in the top-10 on 11 occasions, with the best being runners-up in 1990 at home in Christchurch and in Switzerland in 1982, both times behind winners USA.

Practice begins at the weekend with the first round on Wednesday at the Olivos and Buenos Aires golf courses.

- NZPA