CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — Fourteen-year-old Lydia Ko shot a 3-under 69 to finish two strokes behind the first-round leaders Friday in the New Zealand Women’s Open.
Ko, the world’s top-ranked amateur, became the youngest winner of a professional tour event last month in the Women’s New South Wales Open in Australia.
England’s Kym Larratt, France’s Joanna Klatten and New Zealanders Lynette Brooky and Emily Perry, also an amateur, shot 67 to top the leaderboard at Pegasus Golf Club.
Americans Jaclyn Sweeney, Hannah Yun, Danielle Kang, Gerina Piller, Amelia Lewis and Alison Walsh were in the group at 68 in the event sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour and Australian Ladies Professional Golf.
