Miyu Yamashita Heads Into the Final Round Two Strokes Ahead

Japanese golfer Miyu Yamashita will go into the final day of the LPGA Tour's Maybank Championship with a two-stroke advantage. Playing the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club course, Yamashita shot a 67 on Saturday and is 18 under par for the three rounds. Last year she won the tournament in Malaysia after a three-player playoff, and this time she will try to defend the title for the first time.

Chinese golfer Yan Liu had the best score of the day. Liu finished her round with a 63, which included one eagle, nine birdies and two bogeys, and moved into a tie for second with Pauline Roussin-Bouchard. Roussin-Bouchard, who led after the first round, shot a 67 on Saturday.

The picture is tougher for the English players. Charley Hull shot a 72 on Saturday and is in 18th place at 9 under par. Lottie Woad climbed with a 65 to 10 under par, but she finished about eight strokes behind the leader.

Yamashita said she enjoys the course and that the support from fans in Malaysia gives her a great boost of confidence. The week before the tournament, Yuri Yoshida won the BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea. With this victory, Yoshida became the fourth Japanese golfer to win on the LPGA Tour this season, joining Yamashita, Shiho Kuwaki and Yuna Nishimura.