Teenager Ko sets the pace in Australian Open - ABC Online

Updated February 14, 2013 15:55:01

frNew Zealand 15-year-old amateur golfer Lydia Ko holds the early clubhouse lead in the Australian Open after a stunning first round at Royal Canberra.

Fresh from her win in the New Zealand Open last week, Ko set the pace on Thursday with a 10-under-par 63.

Columbian Mariajo Uribe, 27, is one shot further back on 9-under after an opening round of 64 in pristine morning conditions in Canberra.

Ko bogeyed her first hole on the 10th but, not to be deterred, followed that up with four successive birdies and then an eagle on the 15th thanks to a brilliant wedge shot from 75m out.

Another bogey followed but there were seven more birdies to come to give her an opening round of 63.

"After my bogey on the first hole I thought `oh, what's today going to be like'," Ko said after her round.

"But after a couple of birdies I settled down and felt fairly comfortable."

Ko said she was pretty nervous to start off with playing alongside world number one Yani Tseng and another former teen star in Michelle Wie.

Tseng had a solid opening round of 68 while Wie shot a disappointing 1-over-par 74.

It was Ko's best round in a tournament surpassing the 8-under-par she shot when winning the NSW Open as a 14-year-old.

Despite heading Tseng on the scoreboard Ko said she was in awe of the world number one out on the course.

"It was pretty inspiring," Ko said.

"Today was a really good round for me but I do know that there are many things I do need to improve.

"She (Tseng) was pretty much faultless in my way."

Ko has won three professional tournaments to date but heading into the Australian Open said she is not ready to give up her amateur status just yet.

"At least not this year," she said on the eve of the event.

"We don't want to rush anything and I haven't seriously talked about it with my parents or my coach."

Mi Hyang Lee of South Korea and Ayako Uehara of Japan were next best placed of the early finishers with 7-under-par rounds of 66.

Full scoreboard

Australian Open broadcast times on ABC 1:

• Thursday, February 14 – 3.00pm*


• Friday, February 15 – 3.00pm*


• Saturday, February 16 - 2.00pm*


• Sunday, February 17 - 1.00pm*

* LIVE in the eastern daylight saving states of NSW, ACT, Victoria & Tasmania.

Topics: golf, sport, canberra-2600, act, australia

First posted February 14, 2013 14:41:41