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Three birdies on her back nine holes allowed Victoria鈥檚 Naomi Ko to survive the two-day cut in her first appearance on the LPGA Tour at the Cambia Portland Classic Presented by JTBC in Oregon.
The 18-year-old Royal Colwood member, who is also on sa国际传媒鈥檚 amateur team and has just finished her first year at North Carolina State University, made birdies on holes 11, 12 and 15 to record a 3-under 69 on Friday.
Playing as an amateur, Ko began the tournament on Thursday with a 4-over par 76.
It included a similar finish to Round 2 in that she posted birdies on her 16th and 17th holes of the day (on 7 and 8 as she started on the back nine).
Her gritty finishes mean she will play the weekend with the likes of current leaders Suzann Pettersen of Norway and Ko鈥檚 former junior teammate and defending champion at Portland, Brooke Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont.
Pettersen fired an 8-under 64 on Friday after a 3-under 69 in Round 1. Henderson had the first- day lead with a 7-under 65 and added a 4-under 68 on Friday. The 11-under 133 totals are one shot up on Mariajo Uribe of Colombia.
Ko made the jump from a tie for 105th after Round 1 to a 10-way tie for 62nd and a 145 total.
The Claremont Secondary grad is playing in the U.S. Women鈥檚 Open at CordeValle Golf Course in San Martin, California, next week, which will be her second straight LPGA event.
Ko qualified for this week鈥檚 tournament by winning the Cambia Portland Classic Amateur on June 1.
She will also attempt to qualify for the prestigious U.S. Women鈥檚 Amateur through a sectional at Emerald Valley Golf Club in Creswell, Oregon, on July 25.
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