Ko challenged

Lydia Ko is returning to the form that took her to the top of the golf world but it could come too late to hold onto the No 1 spot. Thai star Ariya Jutanugarn has closed the gap to the thinnest it’s been since Ko ascended to the world No 1 spot 74 weeks ago - the third longest stint since the rankings began. Should Jutanugarn better the defending champion in the Kia Classic, which begins on Friday (NZ time) in California, she will almost certainly supplant the New Zealander as the world’s top woman golfer.