Top New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko has eased into a share of the lead after two rounds of the New Zealand Women’s Open at Clearwater near Christchurch on Saturday.
The 15-year-old world No.1 amateur whistled through in four-under 68 and sits on 138 with South Korean Seon Woo Bae ahead of Sunday’s final round, while Australia’s Nikki Campbell is two shots back in fourth after firing a one-under 71.
Australia’s Stacey Keating is a further shot back in a share for fifth after posting a four-under 68 of her own, while Sarah Jane Smith, Sarah Kemp and Rebecca Artis are all placed ninth and in with a chance at two-under for the tournament.
Bae shot an outstanding eight-under 64 to rocket up the leaderboard after an opening 74 in Friday’s blustery conditions.
For Ko, it was a spectacular eagle putt from the fringe of the green on the par five 14th that turned her round.
The 12m putt down and across the slope had perfect pace, hit the flag and found the bottom of the cup to be met by raucous applause from the biggest gallery on course.
The eagle catapulted Ko into the lead and was the defining moment of round two.
“It was a turning point for me,” said Ko, the only Kiwi to make the two-round cut.
“I wanted a couple of birdies before that but they just didn’t go in the hole. But then that 12m putt, it just drained in and it kind of made up for today and the first round as well.”
Ko, who began the day in a share of fourth place, made birdie on the par 3 16th and then added another on the par 5 second from six feet to get to six under for the tournament.
Her flawless ball striking continued. The only display of any weakness was when she flubbed a chip on the par 5 fifth. It didn’t matter, as she made a 15 foot save for par in nonchalant fashion.
“I was happy with that save. I got a really bad lie with the chip and I didn’t know where that ball was going to go. I wasn’t that happy about that hole even though I made the par.”
The birdies continued on the following hole, the par four sixth, and then she dropped her first shot of the day with a three-putt bogey on the par four seventh.
Ko parred her way in finish on six under and a chance of becoming the first Kiwi to win the event.