Golf: Ko in perfect position to reclaim top spot

Lydia Ko drives off the second tee at the KEB Hana Bank Championship in Incheon, South Korea. Photo / AP

Lydia Ko has said she will ignore the hype building about her seemingly imminent return to the top of the world rankings but it's been difficult for others given her form in recent times.

The 18-year-old Kiwi tied for second last week in the LPGA Malaysia after winning her previous two starts in Canada and France, where she became the youngest major champion.

And yesterday she finished joint leader at the Keb Hana Bank Championship in Incheon, South Korea, carding a three under-par 69 to move to -13 for the tournament.

She shared the lead with South Korea's Sung Hyun Park ahead of this afternoon's final round, with Mirim Lee (67) a shot behind.

America's Lexi Thompson was one of three players two shots behind Ko.

It means Ko is within touching distance of not only her 10th title, and fifth for the year, but also the world's No 1 ranking.

She would take the top spot with a victory and also could move up under other scenarios depending on where Inbee Park finishes. Park, who is in a share of 18th, eight shots behind Ko, replaced Ko atop the list in June with the first of her two major victories this year.

Ko began her round well, picking up a birdie on the opening hole and then three in a row in a blemish-free front nine.

It saw her take a three-shot lead over South Korea's Mirim Lee.

But things weren't nearly as routine on the back nine.

Back-to-back bogeys on the 11th and 12th and a double-bogey on the par-four 14th were countered by birdies on the 13th and 15th.

Sung Hyun Park, who carded an incredible 10-under 62 in her opening round only to back it up with a disappointing 74 in her second round, went five under for the day to draw level with Ko.

So Yeon Ryu had the low round of the day, shooting a six-under 66, which lifted her into a share of 26.

Meanwhile, US PGA star Matt Kuchar will take a two shot lead into today's final round of the Fiji International.

The world No 16 showed his composure in trying conditions yesterday as he went under par for the first time in the tournament. He leads by two, at one-under, from Australian Aron Price who also shot a three-under 69.

Kiwi Ryan Fox, paired with Kuchar for the third consecutive round, shot 73 to be seven shots behind in fourth. Fox started well enough and was one under through his first nine holes, before bogeys on 10 and 12 slowed his momentum.

Auckland-based Brad Shilton was the biggest mover among the New Zealanders, finishing in fifth at seven over.

Josh Geary is tied for 22nd after shooting 74, and Mark Brown two shots further back after a disappointing 77.

Additional reporting Peter White, who travelled to Fiji thanks to Fiji Airways and PGA Australia.