Tim Wilkinson maintains top 20 place while Steve Alker slips in North Carolina

Tim Wilkinson. Photo / Getty Images.

Tim Wilkinson has maintained his top 20 placing at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina, while fellow Kiwi Steve Alker has slid down the leaderboard as the season-ending tournament heads into the fourth and final round.

Wilkinson moved up one place on the leaderboard to 18th, a position he shares with Colombian Camilo Villegas and American Matt Every after shooting two-under 68 in the third round.

He sits seven shots behind leader Henrik Stenson of Sweden, who moved up two places after shooting an impressive four-under 66, leaving his tally at 16-under.

Alker, however, dropped 24 places after shooting 71, and is now 10 shots off the pace, tied for 43rd.

The top-125 ranked golfers on the FedEx Cup point scoring chart at the conclusion on Sunday will automatically retain full Tour rights for next season.

Wilkinson (165th) and Alker (183rd) were both well outside that status coming into the week, but both would need a spectacular fourth round to stay in contention to keep their PGA Tour cards for next season.