Miyu Yamashita Maintains Two-Shot Lead Entering Final Round at Kuala Lumpur

Defending champion Miyu Yamashita holds a two-stroke lead at the Maybank Championship after posting a 54-hole total of 18-under 198.

Miyu Yamashita carded a 5-under 67 on Saturday to maintain a two-stroke lead at the LPGA Tour’s Maybank Championship. The defending champion, who won the 2025 Women's British Open, reached a three-day total of 18-under 198 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. Yamashita entered the third round as the leader and is seeking to repeat her victory from last year, which she secured via a three-way playoff.

China's Yan Liu moved into a tie for second place by recording the lowest score of the day with a 9-under 63. Her round featured nine birdies and two bogeys, highlighted by an eagle on the par-4 18th hole where she holed out from approximately 100 meters. Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, the first-round leader, joined Liu at 16-under par after shooting a 67 on Saturday.

Recent BMW Ladies Championship winner Yuri Yoshida posted a 66 to reach 11-under par. Yoshida is one of four Japanese players to win on the LPGA Tour this season, alongside Yamashita, Yuna Nishimura, and Shiho Kuwaki. Further down the leaderboard, Charley Hull sits in a tie for 18th place at 9-under par following a third-round 72. The tournament concludes Sunday before the Asian swing moves to the Toto Japan Classic in Omitama next week.