Ko, 15, fires 63 to lead Australian Open

Fifteen-year-old Lydia Ko carded a 10-under-par 63 to open the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open atop the leader board at Royal Canberra Golf Club

The Korean-born bespectacled 15-year-old wasn't lost in the moment playing with two of her idols, World No. 1-ranked Yani Tseng and Michelle Wie, sinking 11 birdie putts and an eagle. Ko, who lives in New Zealand and made her first tournament cut at age 12, won the 2012 Canadian Open at age 15.

Last week, she won her third pro tour event, claiming the New Zealand Open.

"I was pretty nervous when I saw the draw that I was playing with two of the big names," Ko said Thursday.

Columbian Mariajo Uribe is one shot back at 9-under and carded two eagles, including one on the 17th, before giving back a stroke with a bogey on 18 for a 64.

Tseng started with a front-side 37 but found her groove on the final nine holes to finish with a round of 68 and is tied for fifth.

Toronto's Rebecca Lee-Bentham, Ayako Uehara and Mi Hyang Lee are tied for fourth place at 7-under.

Defending champion Jessica Korda, the 19-year-old American trying to repeat and win the first event of the 2013 LPGA Tour, is tied for 22nd. She shot a round of three-under par. Wie is 99th and was one-over 74 for the first round.