Momoko Ueda maintained her one-shot lead Saturday heading into the final day of the LPGA Japan Classic, as new world No 1 Atthaya Thitikul's challenge faded.
Japanese veteran Ueda – ranked 85th in the world – carded a 68 to move to 14-under and keep her nose in front of Scotland's Gemma Dryburgh at Seta Golf Course in western Shiga Prefecture.
A birdie to finish ??
— LPGA (@LPGA) November 5, 2022
Momoko Ueda leads by one heading into Sunday in Japan ???? pic.twitter.com/qwjGc2TAUd
Thai teenager Atthaya, who started the day four shots off the lead, hit three bogeys and two birdies to drop back to five-under, nine shots adrift of Ueda.
Atthaya is playing her first tournament since becoming the second-youngest world No 1 in women's golf history this week, following a stunning debut year on the LPGA Tour.
Ueda hit seven birdies and three bogeys and kept her cool despite a furious charge up the leaderboard from Dryburgh.
"I tried to stay calm today even though I made a bogey, and tried not to regret it during the round," said the 36-year-old Ueda.
"I will try to be as steady as possible tomorrow – not too aggressive, not too conservative."
Dryburgh, who is ranked 199th in the world, reeled off four birdies in a row and eight overall to go with her one bogey.
The 29-year-old said that "everything was working pretty well" for her as she looks to hunt down Ueda on the final day.
"Obviously the aim is to win, but anything that happens, just go with the flow," she said.
"Just do my best and see where it ends up."
Dryburgh was one shot in front of Japan's Miyu Yamashita, who had a two-shot cushion ahead of Japanese trio Yuna Nishimura, Saiki Fujita and Sakura Koiwai, and Sweden's Linn Grant and South Korea's Lee Jeon-geun.
Grant said she was spurred on by tension.
"I tend to get better the more nervous I get", she said.
"Playing in one of the later groups, probably will be seeing some good golf too so I will feel like I have to play well," she said as she looked ahead to the final day.
THIRD ROUND LEADING SCORES (par 72, players JPN unless specified):
202 - Momoko Ueda 65-69-68
203 - Gemma Dryburgh (SCO) 71-67-65
204 - Miyu Yamashita 67-68-69
206 - Yuna Nishimura 70-69-67, Linn Grant (SWE) 69-70-67, Saiki Fujita 71-66-69, Lee Jeon-geun (KOR) 69-68-69, Sakura Koiwai 66-70-70
207 - Pajaree Anannarukarn (THA) 69-69-69, Kana Nagai 68-70-69, Ayaka Furue 66-71-70, Ai Suzuki 65-70-72
208 - Haruka Morita 71-71-66
209 - Kana Mikashima 74-67-68, Emma Talley (USA) 71-69-69, Yuri Yoshida 71-69-69, Chisato Iwai 70-68-71, Hsu Wei-ling (TPE) 69-69-71
210 - Hwang Ah-reum (KOR) 73-71-66, Minami Katsu 73-70-67, Mone Inami 70-70-70, Carlota Ciganda (ESP) 69-71-70