KARUIZAWA, Nagano Pref. (Kyodo) Chie Arimura birdied her final hole to cap a 1-under 71 and preserve a one-shot lead moving into the final round of the NEC Karuizawa 72 on Saturday.
Gunning for her third title of the season, the 21-year-old Arimura rolled down her second birdie of the day following a fine approach shot from the rough on the 18th to close on 7-under 137, one stroke clear of Yuko Mitsuka at Karuizawa 72 Golf North Course.
Arimura, who dropped her only shot on the 14th, won the Stanley Ladies in July and just missed out on back-to-back titles in Japan last Sunday after she was eliminated in a three-way playoff at the AXA Ladies won by U.S. LPGA player Momoko Ueda.
Mitsuka made five birdies and two bogeys en route to a second straight 69. South Korea's Jeon Mi Jeong matched par and was in third place on 5-under.