VANCOUVER — New Zealand golf prodigy Lydia Ko fired a second-straight four-under par 68 Friday to seize a share of the second-round lead with Chella Choi at the LPGA's Canadian Women's Open. Ko, a 15-year-old South Korean-born New Zealander who won the US Women's Amateur crown a fortnight ago, shared the lead with Choi on eight-under 136, three shots in front of their nearest rivals. She played without a bogey on the Vancouver Golf Club course and birdied three holes in a row starting at the par-three 12th, then added a fourth birdie at 17 to gain her share of the lead. In January Ko won the New South Wales Open in Australia at the age of 14 to become the youngest player to win a professional tour event. Choi, 22, had eight birdies in a bogey-free eight-under par 64. Club member Brian Alexander served as Ko's caddie, and she appreciated having the local knowledge. Alexander, a real estate developer, said he gave Ko advice about the course in practice rounds this week, but she has been making her own decisions during the tournament. Moira Dunn, Angela Stanford, US Women's Open champion Na Yeon Choi and Inbee Park shared third place on five-under 139. Dunn and Stanford both carded 70s, while South Korea's Park posted a 71 and her comptriot Choi shot 72. It was a further shot back to Norway's Suzann Pettersen (69), South Korea's Jiyai Shin (70) and Vicky Hurst (70) on 140. Pettersen admitted it was odd seeing Ko's name atop the leaderboard. World number one Yani Tseng, the overnight leader after a 66, ballooned to a 75 to fall nine shots off the pace. Foster, Finch steal show In Scotland, English pair Mark Foster and Richard Finch shrugged off disappointing seasons to share the lead after the Johnnie Walker Championship second round Friday. Foster carded a 68 while his close friend Finch went one better with a 67 as both finished on eight-under 136. One stroke off the pace was Scotland's Paul Lawrie (69), who is certain of his place in next month's European Ryder Cup team, and Australian Brett Rumford (70). Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, bidding to beat absent German Martin Kaymer to the one remaining automatic slot in the Ryder Cup side, was three strokes behind Finch and Foster after shooting a 70. If Colsaerts fails to finish in the top two here Sunday, Kaymer will be in the team that plays United States in Illinois from Sept. 28-30. The Belgian, who won the World Match Play title in Spain in May, said he was feeling tired after traveling back from North Carolina Monday following the weather-interrupted Wyndham Championship. There was a similarity in the tales of Foster and Finch. Dismayed after missing the cut in last month's Scottish Open, Foster decided to take a four-week break from golf because he “needed to regroup”. — Agencies
