New Zealand's world amateur golf number one Lydia Ko has shot a six under par 66 to lead after round one of the stroke play qualifying at the 2012 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship in Ohio.
The 15-year-old made six birdies and no bogeys on the par-72 course to lead Californian Alison Lee and Korean Hyo-Joo Kim by two shots heading into the second and final round of qualifying for the match play stages of the event.
Ko was co-medalist at the 2011 U.S. Women's Amateur and low amateur at last month's U.S. Women's Open.
She has the chance tomorrow to defend her co-medalist title at the US Amateur as she vies to become the first New Zealand golfer to win the event.
