Golf: Kiwis continue strong form

Danny Lee. Photo / Getty

New Zealand's three leading golfers are continuing their strong recent form on the major world golfing tours.

Tim Wilkinson and Danny Lee are on track to make the cut at the rain-delayed Dean & DeLuca Invitational on the PGA Tour, while Lydia Ko has been solid yet unspectacular through two rounds on the LPGA Tour.

Lee is in the strongest position of the trio, making a quick rise up the leaderboard before play was suspended early due to darkness.

Starting his second round with a bogey, Lee reeled off three birdies to be two-under par through 10 holes, in a tie for 22nd as he chases a fifth straight made cut.

He is two shots ahead of Wilkinson, who occupies a share of 41st at even par, with eight holes remaining in his second round. Wilkinson is in close to career-best form, making five consecutive cuts. The left-hander finished in a tie for 11th at the Wells Fargo Championship, and recorded his best finish in several years last week when he finished fourth at the AT&T Byron Nelson event.

Bryce Molder leads the tournament at nine-under, a shot ahead of Webb Simpson with Jordan Spieth looming at seven-under in a tie for third.

At the LPGA Volvik Championship, Ko sits in a share of 27th at two-under after consecutive rounds of 71. The world number one was at four-under but bogied two of the last four holes to slide back down the leaderboard.

Ko also has a new rival emerging on the Tour, with Arita Jutanugarn leading the way at 11-under and chasing her third consecutive victory this month.

While Ko still comfortably leads the season-long Race to the CME Globe, the 20-year-old Jutanugarn is making inroads and could become a long-term contender to Ko's champion throne.