Hye-Jin Choi Extends Five-Stroke Lead at LPGA Malaysia Tournament's Second Round

Hye-Jin Choi maintained and extended her lead at the LPGA Tour's Maybank Championship in Kuala Lumpur, shooting a 5-under 67 on Saturday for a 19-under total and a four-stroke advantage heading into the final round. At 26, Choi is still seeking her first LPGA Tour win despite 28 career top-10 finishes and a notable second-place finish at the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open as a teenager. Defending champion Yin Ruoning moved up to seventh place, seven strokes behind Choi, while China’s Liu Yan and Australia’s Hannah Green were also in contention. World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul, a two-time runner-up in Malaysia this year, was tied for fourth place after shooting 65 and credited fan support for her strong play. Other contenders included New Zealand’s Lydia Ko and A Lim Kim, who made significant moves with impressive rounds. The LPGA Tour’s Asian swing concludes next week with the Japan Classic at Shiga.