Golf: Ko makes quarter finals in USA

Lydia Ko has played superbly on day two to qualify for the quarter-finals of the US Girl's Junior Amateur Championship. Photo / Getty Images.

World No 1 amateur Lydia Ko has played superbly on day two to qualify for the quarter-finals of the US Girl's Junior Amateur Championship at the Lake Merced Golf Club in California overnight. (NZT)

Ko, who qualified as the No 2 seed, was quick into her work this morning when she dismissed Californian Hee Wook Choi (31) by 7 and 6 to match her margin of victory from round one.

In round three, the Gulf Harbour player was in a good battle with Nicole Morales from New York and the pair was all square through the opening five holes.

But the world's best amateur soon found her rhythm and was never behind again in the match.

The 15-year-old won the sixth hole to go 1up, and then doubled her advantage on the 11th. Morales was back in the match when Ko bogeyed the par 3 15th. But she restored her advantage on the following hole with a birdie. She held on to win by 2 and 1 and make the final eight players.

Ko will face Yueer Feng of Florida who enjoyed a comfortable win over Summar Roachell of Arkansas by 6 and 4 to book her place in the final eight.

"Everything overall today was really good," Ko said.

"I'm pretty happy. Before I play again, I'm going to hit a few driver shots and hopefully get it going in a straight line."

Meantime, the No.1 seed Ariya Jutanugarn continued her impressive the Girls' Junior. The new World No. 2 was in red-hot form as she hammered Ashlan Ramsey of Georgia by 8 and 6.

"Today my putter was so good, so I made everything,"said the 16-year-old Jutanugarn, who had good friend and fellow Thai Sagee Palavivatana, a member of the Sacramento State University women's golf team, on her bag.

Jutanugarn and Ko look likely to meet in the final if both can progress from their quarter-finals and semi-finals tomorrow.

The quarterfinal and semi-final matches are to be played tonight (NZT) and the 36-hole championship final will be played on Sunday morning. (NZT)