New Zealand golfing prodigy Lydia Ko has stormed her way into title contention at the United States women's amateur championship.
The Auckland 14-year-old, ranked the world's leading female amateur, was in imperious touch for the second round of strokeplay qualifying at Barrington, Rhode Island, today.
The reigning New Zealand and Australian amateur champion posted a fine five-under-par 66 to complete the strokeplay section of the championship in a tie for first place at six-under 136.
That gives her a huge boost heading into the matchplay format featuring the top 64 players from a 156-strong field.
Bidding to become the first New Zealander to win the title, Ko mixed eight birdies with three bogeys as she picked up four shots in as many holes from the fourth onwards.
