KUALA LUMPUR: Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum fired eight birdies on her way to a 6-under par 65 to take the lead after the third round of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia tournament on Saturday.
Pornanong enters Sunday's final round at 14 under par, holding a three-stroke lead over Ayako Uehara of Japan. A victory by the 25-year-old from Chaiyaphum would be the first for a Thai golfer on the world's premier women's tour.
South Korea's So Yeon-ryu, the second-round leader, was one over on the day and is in a four-way tie at 10 under. Joining her are Chella Choi of South Korea, Feng Shanshan of China, and New Zealand teen Lydia Ko.
Young Thai star Ariya Jutanugarn is chasing the pack at 9 under, after shooting nine birdies to card a 64 in the day's best round at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
Pornanong Phatlum reacts after holing a birdie putt on the eighth hole during the third round of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia 2014 tournament at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club on Saturday. (AFP Photo)
Pornanong picked up seven shots over her first 10 holes, but then suffered a lapse with bogeys on the par-five 12th and 16th before she holed her final birdie on 17.
"I don't know why I was nervous (on the back nine)," she said. "But I kept my concentration and I putted well including a 10-foot putt on the eighth.
"Of course I'll try hard to win. I hope I can do well. For Sunday, going into the final round I'll just play my game and play shot by shot."
World number one Stacy Lewis continued to slip down the field. After opening with a 65, the first-round leader has carded 71 and 72 and is now nine shots off the lead.
Defending champion Lexi Thompson is tied for 41st at even par and out of title contention in the US$2-million tournament.
Pornanong entered this week's tournament in 32nd place in the Rolex World Rankings and 27th on the LPGA money list with earnings of $472,619 so far this season. She finished last season in 23rd spot with earnings of $600,000.
Now in her fifth year on the LPGA Tour, the Chaiyaphum native nicknamed "Waen" has been a steady performer but is still seeking her first tour victory. She won the HSBC LPGA Brasil Cup, an unofficial Tour event, in 2012.
She has eight professional victories on the Ladies Asian Golf Tour and Ladies European Tour, the most notable being the Dubai Ladies Masters last season.
Pornanong has five top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour so far this year. She had four top-10 finishes in 2013 including a tie for second at the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic and a tie for third at the Kia Classic in California in March.