KUALA LUMPUR: Defending champion Miyu Yamashita shot a 5-under 67 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead into Sunday's final round of the LPGA Tour's Maybank Championship.

The 2025 Women's British Open winner and second-round leader had a 54-hole total of 18-under 198 on the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club course. She won last year's Malaysian tournament after a three-way playoff.

“So of course winning a title is something pretty special itself, but I really like the course and I've been getting so much support from the fans here in Malaysia," Yamashita said.

China's Yan Liu had the round of the day Saturday, a 63 which included an eagle, nine birdies and two bogeys, to move into a tie for second place. Her eagle came on the 18th when she holed out from about 100 meters.

Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, who led after the first round and shot 67 Saturday, was level with Yan.

Last week, Yuri Yoshida won the BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea, the fourth Japanese player this season to win on the LPGA Tour, joining Yamashita, Shiho Kuwaki and Yuna Nishimura. Yoshida shot 66 Saturday and was at 11-under.

Charley Hull shot 72 and was at 9-under and tied for 18th.

Next week, the LPGA's four-week, late-season Asian swing ends with the Toto Japan Classic at Omitama outside Tokyo.