Ko handles the chill for two-shot lead at Gainbridge LPGA

Lydia Ko continues to provide the answers needed to stay in front at the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio.

Ko opened with a 63 when conditions were prime for scoring. When temperatures dipped into the 40s on Saturday and the wind was a steady 15-20 mph with gusts as high as 33 mph, Ko was asked to survive the day. She showed she can do that, too.

Her even-par 72 one birdie, one bogey, 16 pars gave her a two-shot lead over Danielle Kang (74) heading into the final round of the LPGA Tours first full-field event of the year. Ko was at 11-under 205.

Celine Boutier of France had the low round Saturday of 69 arguably the best round of the young LPGA season and climbed into contention. She was three shots behind.

The 24-year-old Ko is seeking her 17th LPGA Tour title, having won her first when she was only 15. There was a time she grew too technical with her game, harbouring too many mechanical thoughts in trying to make perfect swings. But Ko won last season again (Lotte Championship) and is carrying renewed confidence, climbing back to No. 3 in the world.

"It's great to be back in contention," Ko said. "I played really solid and I played really consistently, especially in the back half of my season last year. I think when you keep putting yourself there, you feel like at one point it's going to fall, you know?"

"I'm playing alongside the best female golfers and some of the best athletes in the world, so it's not easy."

There was nothing easy Saturday, when the average score of the 74 players who survived the cut was 75.136, more than three shots higher than Thursday.

Stacy Lewis (72) likened the day to a British Open. Only four players broke par, only one scored in the 60s, and 33 players in the field shot 76 or higher.

Kang won