Golf: Ko surges in Florida

Lydia Ko hits her second shot on the first hole at the Coates Golf Championship. Photo / Getty

Lydia Ko is in a share of third place at the midway point of the Coates Golf Championship on the LPGA Tour in Florida.

The Kiwi carded a three-under par 69 during her second round today as she moved to seven-under for the week and is five shots back from leader Ha Na Jang (12-under).

Ko, who topped last year's order of merit during her rookie year on tour, has ditched her trademark glasses and is using contact lenses this season but it hasn't hindered her game.

"I've always thought about it, but glasses kind of became comfortable," Ko told the LPGA Tour website. "I've used them for the last four, five years. It's weird now without them. But a lot of people have recognised me, so it's been a little bit of a surprise in that way."

Ko's second round included four birdies and one bogey and there were a collection of players still on the course when play was halted for the day due to darkness.

Meanwhile, on the PGA Tour, Kiwis Tim Wilkinson and Danny Lee made poor starts to the Phoenix Open in Arizona.

Wilkinson fired a one-over 72 as he finished the day in a share of 87th, while Lee carded a horror six-over 77, that included two bogeys and two double bogeys, as he slipped to the back of the field in a tie for 129th.

American Ryan Palmer is in the lead at seven-under, while three players, including major winners Keegan Bradley and Bubba Watson, are one shot back in second.

In China, Ben Campbell and Josh Geary are on the verge of securing their tour cards for the PGA Tour China circuit.

Heading in to today's final round, Campbell was in eighth at one-over for the week, while Geary was in a tie for 12th at three-over. The top 15 players from the event earn full tour cards, while the next 40 earn conditional status.

Kiwi Daniel Pearce was in a tie for 21st at five-over and was in need of a good final round today, while Sean Tan (T74) was well off the pace.