KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Maintaining the lead she has maintained since the opening round and seeking her first win on the LPGA Tour, Hye-Jin Choi will take a four-stroke lead into the final round of the Maybank Championship after shooting a 5-under 67 Saturday.
Choi, who played on the South Korean team in the International Crown last week, had a 54-hole total of 19-under 197 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country club course. She started the day with a five stroke lead.
The 26-year-old Choi has 28 career top-10 finishes and finished second at the 2017 US Women’s Open as a 17-year-old amateur.
It is the first time in her career that she has led after the first three rounds and the third time she has led a tournament on its way to the final round. The previous two times she finished second.
“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time and I’m going to do my best tomorrow,” Choi said. “I think I’ll feel like I’m making the dream and just imagining it. I’m just looking for a win tomorrow.”
China’s Yan Liu (65) was in second place after a bogey-free round and Hannah Green, a member of the winning Australian team at the International Crown last weekend, was third after a 67, four strokes behind Choi.
A Lim Kim was the biggest riser with a 64, which left her in a tie for fourth place, six strokes off the lead. Kim’s round included an eagle on 18 and six birdies.
“It was a great shot, but improbable,” Kim said of her 22-foot Eagle Putt on 18. She started her round with four birdies in five holes.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul, runner-up in Malaysia for the past two years, scored 65 and was also tied for fourth. She birdied her last three holes on Saturday.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s good,” Thitikul said. She thanked her many fans in the gallery for their support and said again that the location was a “mini Thailand” for her.
Defending champion Ruoning Yin shot 69 and was in seventh place, seven strokes behind Choi and tied with New Zealander Lydia Ko (68). Brooke Henderson shot 68 and was 11 strokes behind.
Next week the LPGA concludes its five-week Asian swing with the Japan Classic in Shiga.
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