World No 1 amateur golfer Lydia Ko is in a share of 52nd place after round one of the Lotte LPGA Championship in Hawaii.
The 15-year-old from the Gulf Harbour Country Club, who will celebrate her 16th birthday next week, carded a one-under par 71 at the Ko Olina Golf Club in Oahu today to be seven shots back from round-one leader Thai professional Ariya Jutanugarn.
The New Zealand rep, who is the youngest winner on the LPGA Tour after her victory at the Canadian Open in 2012, got off to a fast start as she birdied three of the opening six holes to be tied 11th.
The teenager superstar faded with two bogeys coming into the turn to head for the homeward nine at one-under par 35. She added a birdie on the 10th and a bogey at the last to sign for a 71.
Ko needs a good round in tomorrow's second round to keep alive her record of never missing a cut in the 15 professional events she has played.
