Golf: Lydia Ko makes cut, Danny Lee in contention

Lydia Ko hits out of the bunker. Photo / AP

Lydia Ko has recovered to make the cut at the latest LPGA Tour event, but her world number one spot could potentially be in danger.

Ko shot a three-under par 69 to move into a share of 40th during the suspended second round of the LPGA Lotte Championship.

The 19-year-old Kiwi had a bogey-free round to leap 45 spots on the leaderboard, largely thanks to an improved putting display.

Ko only hit 8/14 fairways and just 10 of 18 greens, but only required 25 putts, compared to 29 in her first round as she concluded her round before darkness fell.

With only 14 players still to complete their round, Ko is safely inside the cut line, but is seven shots off the lead.

That lead is held by one of her rivals for the world number one ranking, Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn.

Jutanugarn had a bogey-free six-under 66 to move to nine-under for the tournament, sharing the lead with the Korean duo of In-Kyung Kim and Su-Yeon Jang.

Jutanugarn won five times last season and was the LPGA Tour's player of the year, and can continue to cut into Ko's lead on top of the world rankings if she wins this weekend.

Likewise world number two So Yeon Ryu is also a shot at snaring the world number one ranking, and sits just two shots off the lead in a share of eighth place.

Ko has been world number one for 76 weeks, but has had a large lead slowly chipped away by the chasing duo. However, her lead is still sizeable enough that both Ryu and Jutanugarn would need to win, and have Ko finish poorly, to end her reign atop the rankings.

​Fellow Kiwi golfer Danny Lee has started strongly on the PGA Tour at the RBC Heritage event. Lee shot a five-under par to sit in a share of fifth, three shots off the lead held by American Bud Cauley.

"My putting was falling nicely all day," said Lee. "It's a very tricky course, but it was perfect conditions for scoring."

Lee has recorded three top 25 finishes in his last three four starts, but is yet to record a top 15 finish in 2017.