Golf: Lee drops nine places

New Zealand No 1 Danny Lee has dropped nine places to a share of 31st place. Photo / Getty Images.

New Zealand No 1 Danny Lee has dropped nine places to a share of 31st place after a one-over par 71 at the TPC Southwind course in round three of the FedEx St. Jude Classic in Tennessee overnight. (NZT)

The 21-year-old Korean-born Kiwi, who opened with rounds of 69 and 70, is now six shots back from three golfers who share the lead Australian Nick O'Hern and Americans Davis Love III and John Merrick.

Lee, who is projected to climb to 137th in the Fed Ex Cup rankings in his current position, was even par for the first nine holes; he made consecutive bogeys and 10 and 11 before getting one back on the 12th.

The US Amateur champion needs to win this week if he is going to join the US Open field.

On the Nationwide Tour Tim Wilkinson has dropped nine places at the Mexico Open after a one over par 73 at the El Bosque Golf Club to be tied 26th.

The former PGA Tour player, who had a five-under par 67 in round two, is now on a three-under par total nine shots back from American Lee Williams.

Hamilton professional Steven Alker also lost ground with a three-over par 75 dropping him almost 20 places to a share of 45th on an even-par total.

Wilkinson, who is 56th on the Nationwide Tour Order of Merit, and Alker, who is 51st, need to finish inside the top 25 on the money list to automatically qualify for the PGA Tour in 2013.

Meanwhile, Masterton amateur Ben Campbell has found some form ahead of the Eisenhower Trophy with a one-under par 71 in round two of the St Andrews Links Trophy in Scotland to be the only Kiwi to make the cut.

Campbell, who carded a one-over par 72 in round one at the New Course to be in a share of 19th place, climbed eight places to tied 11th with his round on the Old Course at the Home of Golf.

He is 14 shots back from the runaway leader Daan Huizing of the Netherlands who now leads by 10 shots.

The 21-year-old Dutchman stretched his lead after the first round with an eight under par 64 which took him to 14-under par for the tournament.

Huizing's round featured nine birdies, at the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 8th, 12th, 15th, 17th and 18th holes, and one bogey, at the 10th, as he made the most of the favourable conditions.

The four other Kiwis in the field Vaughan McCall, Blair Riordan, Daniel Pearce and Mathew Perry all missed the cut of the top 31 players and ties.