Choi grabs lead in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Na Yeon Choi is still looking for up finishes in the past few weeks have only raised her level of determination.

After shooting a four-under 67 on Saturday, Choi is in good position to accomplish her goal with a one-shot lead at the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia following the third round.

Choi finished 54 holes at 12-under 201 to gain her first lead with 18 holes to play since the 2010 Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic. If her past is any indication, Choi has a good chance of winning at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club on Sunday; she is 3-1 when leading with 18 holes to play, including wins in her last three tries.

After losing a playoff to Suzann Pettersen in August and finishing one stroke behind Yani Tseng last week, Choi remains stuck on four career victories. Still, her performances have kept her in the top five in the world rankings as the top-ranked Korean player.

Choi will have to fend off American and 36-hole co-leader Brittany Lang, whose two-under 69 dropped her to second at 11-under 202. Lang, who was on the wrong side of three of her four Solheim Cup matches last month, is still looking for her first victory despite three top-10 finishes in her last six stroke play events.

Azahara Munoz, also winless on tour, shot a three-under 68 to move into third at minus-10, while Stacy Lewis, who shared the overnight lead with Lang, tumbled to a one-over 72 to fall into a share of fourth with Se Ri Pak (65) and Tseng (69) at eight-under.

Pettersen (69) holds seventh at minus-seven.

MORE TO FOLLOW.