Golf: Lydia Ko three shots off lead in France

Lydia Ko, of New Zealand, follows her ball after playing on the 12th hole during the first round of the Evian Championship women's golf tournament. Photo / AP.

Lydia Ko has continued her impressive revival.

The kiwi world number eight has carded a three-under 68 in the second and penultimate round of the Evian Championship in France.

It leaves her fourth, six-under for the tournament, three back from the lead in the year's final major.

Thailand's Moriya Jutanugarn leads at nine-under.

Jutanugarn, whose younger sister Ariya is a major champion, stayed composed throughout, mixing five birdies and two bogeys to snatch the lead from US Open champion Park Sung-hyun.

The South Korean, who started the day with a two-shot lead over Jutanugarn, had four bogeys to only two birdies as she slipped down to fourth.

Japan's Ayako Uehara is a close second, one shot behind Jutanugarn's tally of nine-under-par 133 after firing a five-under 66.

Uehara could have been level with Jutanugarn had she not missed out on a birdie when she missed a simple putt on the eighth green.

"I don't remember that I had my best major finish here," said the 23-year-old Jutanugarn, 10th in the Evian in 2014. "I just want to keep playing my game the whole week and enjoy it on the course."

Australia's Katherine Kirk is third after a two-under-par 69, meaning the top three are all within two strokes.

"Hey you know what I can win out there, and just keep believing and keep doing the right things, and you never know what happens," Kirk said.