Golf: Swede in form of her life at Open

Lydia Ko shot 68 to share fourth place. Photo / Getty Images

A blond, blue-eyed Swede with the golf game of an assassin, thrust herself into title contention at the New Zealand Women's Open in Christchurch yesterday.

Linda Wessberg struck the form of her life to tie the Pegasus course record of nine-under par 63 in benign morning conditions and ended the second round on seven-under 137 to sit alone in third place, four strokes outside the lead held by Italian Giulia Sergas.

West Australian Kristie Smith played masterfully with a 64 to sit two behind overnight leader Sergas, who got her moving skates on the back nine to shoot 69.

Auckland 13-year-old amateur Lydia Ko shot 68 to share fourth place on 138 with English star Laura Davies, who managed a 66, Cassandra Kirkland, of France, and Sweden's Pernilla Lindberg,

The cut was made at plus four, leaving 71 professionals to feature at the weekend.

Wessberg had a particularly hot stretch with seven successive birdies highlighting a round which began at the 10th minus the boisterous winds which spreadeagled the field.

Her birdie train started at the first, her 10th hole, and was the result of some peerless wedge play as she zeroed in on the target with clinical accuracy.

"I started out a little crappy really because I hit it in the water on my second hole, the 11th, and took a bogey there," Wessberg said.

"After that it was pretty simple and straightforward. I have been working on my wedges and it paid off. My longest birdie putt was from 12 feet and the others were all within six feet.

"I had five birdies in a row during the pro-am [on Wednesday] and at the time I thought this isn't very necessary right now," said Wessberg, a 30-year-old who bettered her previous career best score of 64 registered last season in Germany.

Wessberg, who has three Ladies European Tour titles to her name and is playing in her 102nd tour event, said she would appreciate some wild weather over the weekend as she looks to track down and overtake Smith.

"I was raised on an island and I am used to playing in strong winds. I don't want it to rain and blow like crazy but if you have one of them, that's fine."

Davies, the world No 1 from 1993 to 1997, was far from satisfied with her 66 and blamed her putter.

"I had five lip outs," said Davies, who took 31 putts and missed only one green with her approaches.

Smith, a 22-year-old daughter of senior tour player Wayne Smith, collected nine birdies in another almost flawless round after starting at the 10th. She went out in 30 shots and came home strong.

Smith's sole error was a three putt from 15 feet on the 15th hole which led to her only dropped shot.

New Zealand's former Tour member Liz McKinnon produced the first hole-in-one of the championship when she aced the 145m par-three 14th despite this being her first tournament in a year.

- NZPA