Overnight leader Junko Omote shot a 2-under-par 70 on Saturday to maintain a four-stroke lead going into Sunday's final round of the Toyo Suisan Ladies Hokkaido golf tournament.
Teeing off for the second round at Sapporo Kitahiroshima Prince Golf Course with a four-stroke margin, the 29-year-old Omote, who set a course record of a 7-under 65 on Friday, birdied three holes against a lone bogey for a 36-hole total of 9-under 135.
Fumiko Muraguchi, the money queen in 1999, shot a tie for the day's best score of 68 over the 6,445-yard course to stand alone in second place at 139, while Kaori Suzuki carded a 69 to be another stroke back at 140.
Current money leader Yuri Fudo logged a 70 and is in a four-way tie for eighth at 143.
Izawa on target
HIGASHI-HIROSHIMA, Hiroshima Pref. (Kyodo) Overnight leader Toshimitsu Izawa birdied six holes en route to a 3-under-par 69 on Saturday to keep a one-stroke lead after the third round of the 100 million yen Woodone Open Hiroshima tournament.
Izawa, seeking a back-to-back tourney title after winning last week's Japan Golf Tour Championship, got off to a birdie-birdie start at Hiroshima Country Club's Hachihommatsu Course and went on to card four more birdies against three bogeys for a 54-hole total of a 13-under 203.
Veteran Toru Suzuki made a chip-in eagle on the par-5 second to shoot a 67 for the second straight day and leapfrogged into a share of second place with Katsunori Kuwabara (67) at 204.