Teen star Lydia Ko leads Women's Australian Open
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) -- Teen star Lydia Ko shot a 10-under 63 on Thursday to take the early lead in the first round of the LPGA Tour's season-opening Women's Australian Open. The 15-year-old amateur won the New Zealand Women's Open on Sunday for her third victory in a professional tournament. Last year, Ko won the New South Wales Open to become the youngest player to win a pro tour event and the Canadian Open to become the youngest LPGA Tour winner. She also won the U.S. Women's Amateur. Ko opened with a bogey on the 10th hole, birdied the next four holes and eagled the par-5 15th. She bogeyed the 16th and birdied Nos. 17-18 to make the turn at 6-under 30 at Royal Canberra. The South Korean-born New Zealander added birdies on Nos. 2-4 and 6, dropped a stroke on No. 8 and closed with her 11th birdie. Colombia's Mariajo Uribe was a stroke back with most of the afternoon starters still on the course. Japan's Ayako Uehara and South Korea's Mi Hyang Lee shot 66, and top-ranked Yani Tseng, the winner at Commonwealth in 2010 and 2011, was in a group at 68 along with American Angela Stanford, Australia's Katherine and Hull-Kirk. South Korea's Jiyai Shin also was 5 under with five holes left. American Stacy Lewis was 3 under with six holes to play. Michelle Wie shot a 74.
