The 13-year-old Auckland golfer Lydia Ko has survived a two-hole playoff against her close friend and rival Cecilia Cho to win the Australian Strokeplay Championship in Melbourne.
Cho, the defending champion and new world number one amateur, made a birdie at the 17th to give her a share of the lead for the first time and with both players finishing on six-under par it went to the playoff at Huntingdale Golf Club.
Cho narrowly missed a long range birdie putt on the first playoff hole while Ko saw her three-metre birdie slip past.
Ko hit her second to within five metres when they replayed the par-five 18th for the second time, while Cho hit the fringe and three-putted from long range.
The matchplay phase for the Australian Amateur Championship begins on Monday.
