Hye-Jin Choi will take a four-stroke lead into the final round of the Maybank Championship after shooting a 5-under 67 Saturday, maintaining the advantage she’s held since the opening round as she pursues her first LPGA Tour win.
Choi, who represented South Korea in last week’s International Crown, sits at an impressive 19-under 197 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. The 26-year-old started the day with a five-stroke cushion but saw it trimmed slightly heading into Sunday’s finale.
This marks new territory for Choi. While she has 28 career top-10 finishes and finished second at the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open as a 17-year-old amateur, it’s the first time she’s led after each of the first three rounds. She’s been in the 54-hole lead twice before but finished runner-up both times.
“I’ve been waiting for this a really long time and I’m going to try my best tomorrow,” Choi said. “I think I will feel like I’m making the dream and I just imagine on it. I’m just looking for a victory tomorrow.”
China’s Yan Liu fired a bogey-free 65 to claim second place, while Hannah Green of Australia sits in third after a 67, five strokes behind Choi. Green was part of the victorious Australian team at last weekend’s International Crown.
A Lim Kim made the day’s biggest move, climbing into a tie for fourth with a blistering 64 that included an eagle on the 18th and six birdies. She’s six shots off the lead.
“It was a great shot, but improbable,” Kim said of her 25-foot eagle putt on 18. She started hot with four birdies in her first five holes.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul also sits in that fourth-place tie after posting a 65, closing with three straight birdies. A runner-up in Malaysia the last two years, Thitikul is clearly comfortable on this course.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s good,” said Thitikul, who credited her numerous fans in the gallery for their support, noting again that the venue feels like a “mini-Thailand” for her.
Defending champion Ruoning Yin shot 69 and shares seventh place with New Zealand’s Lydia Ko (68), seven strokes behind the leader. Canada’s Brooke Henderson posted a 68 and sits 11 shots back.
The LPGA concludes its five-week Asian swing next week with the Japan Classic at Shiga.
