Phuket: Bang Shin-Sil of South Korea continued her impressive form by carding her second consecutive 68, seizing a one-stroke lead as she heads into the final round of the US$650,000 Blue Canyon Ladies Championship on Saturday.
The 19-year-old golfer exhibited her skill with two birdies on the front nine and added two more after the turn, securing a solitary lead at eight-under-par 136 at the Blue Canyon Country Club in Phuket.
Bang, who finished second in last week's KLPGA season-opener in Singapore, holds a one-shot advantage over her compatriots Choi Min-Kyung and Hong Jung-Min.
"The course here is relatively short, so I need to concentrate on my driving. As for tomorrow's plan, I must maintain focus and deliver my best shots," said Bang.
Bang has her sights set on clinching her third KLPGA crown, the Koreit Championship, after having secured two titles in 2023 -- the 11th E1 Charity Open and the Dongbu Construction.
Choi, ranked 59th on the KLPGA rankings, countered back-to-back bogeys on holes 7 and 8 with five birdies, carding a second-round 69 for a total of seven-under 137, tying her with 20th-ranked Hong, who posted a 68 with five birdies and a lone bogey on the 17th hole.
Overnight leader Kim Hee-Ji swapped three birdies with three bogeys, carding an even-par 72 to sit at six-under 138, two shots off the lead. She was joined by Hwang You-Min and Ko Jiu. The latter sank eight birdies against two bogeys for a stellar 66.
Phannarai Meesom-us, who briefly emerged as a top contender with a seven-under-par, faltered with three bogeys on the last four holes, finishing with a 72 and a 140 total. However, she remained the pick of the Thai players, with Pornanong Phatlum three strokes behind at 143.