Lydia Ko is already a record-breaking golfer after being the youngest to win a professional tournament and now she has another record as she took the lead at the Australian Open on Thursday.
Ko, a 15-year-old golfer, was paired with number one ranked Yani Tseng and put up a performance of a lifetime, shooting 10-under 63 for the best round ever in her career to take a one stroke lead in the tournament.
After winning last Sunday at the New Zealand Open, Ko has the chance to add a fourth professional title to her resume after finishing 19th in the tournament last year,.
Ko hit an astonishing 11 birdies at the LPGA co-sanctioned tournament, leaving Tseng to watch in awe.
"I feel I'm getting old," said the 24-year-old from Taiwan, a two-time Australian Open champion. "She just looks like a child, she still looks like 15 but, the way she's playing golf, she looks like a pro."
Ko started the back nine slow with a bogey, but rebounded with a par and four straight birdies. Ko previously was the youngest ever winner of an LPGA Tour event when claiming the Canadian Open last year, and she needed just 30 shots to finish the back nine. She was in a group with Tseng and Michelle Wie, but felt no pressure.
"I was in a really good group to start off with. I was pretty nervous when I saw the draw and that I was playing with two big names but it was fun out there.
"Yani and Michelle, we had really good conversations so I think it made it more enjoyable."
After making par on the 10th hole, Ko was on fire, making four of the next five birdies before finishing later on the round.
Last week Ko won against a number of big names in the tournament, including Alison Walshe, Christina Kim, Cheyenne Woods and Belen Mozo. Ko made history last August when she won the Canadian Women's Open to become the youngest winner in LPGA Tour history as the fifth ever amateur champion.
"I'll still remain an amateur and then finish high school and then go to college," said Ko to the Associated Press. "I mean this is a great win, but I don't think this will affect me changing my roots to my career."
At that tournament Ko set a record by shooting a five-under 67, giving her a three stoke victory. At the time she was the first amateur winner since JoAnne Carner in the 1969 Burdine's Invitational.
