Golf: Lydia Ko continues consistent start to 2021 season

Lydia Ko recorded her third straight top 10 finish on the LPGA Tour. Photo / AP

Lydia Ko is clearly back to the form that saw her move to number one in the world after chalking up yet another strong performance on the LPGA Tour.

After opening her season with a second placing last week in Orlando, Ko has finished in a share of eighth at the LPGA Drive on Championship, also in Florida.

The Kiwi had three birdies and two bogeys to finish with a one-under 71 - four-under for the tournament.

Overnight leader Austin Ernst secured her third career victory, winning the event by five strokes over fellow American Jennifer Kupcho.

Jenny Coleman made it a 1-2-3 U.S. finish, closing with a 71 to get to 8 under.

In Gee Chun of Soiuth Korea was fourth at 7 under after a 69. Switzerland's Albane Valenzuela was another stroke back after a 73.

Nelly Korda, tied with Ernst and Kupcho for the first-round lead, had weekend rounds of 76 and 75 to tie for 28th at even par. Jessica Korda shot a 71 to tie for eighth at 4 under.

It is Ko's third straight top 10 finish stretching back to last year and her fifth in her last six starts. It's that consistency that saw her reach world number one in 2015, a spot she has held for a total of 104 weeks during her career.

Ko hasn't won on the LPGA Tour since 2018 but it's starting to feel like 'when' not 'if' she record win number 16, considering the top 10 results she has been knocking out in the last six months.

Next up for Ko is the Kia Classic, a tournament she won in 2016, followed by the ANA Inspiration which is the opening major of the year. Ko also won that event in 2016 to collect her second career major to become the first New Zealander to win multiple majors.