Fil-Japanese Yuka Saso failed to make the cut in her 10th tournament as she struggled with a 75 in the Hisako Higuchi Mitsubishi Electric Ladies golf tournament still led by Minami Katsu in Saitama Prefecture.
She birdied her final hole but that was not enough to save her day as the 19-year-old reigning Asian Games champion appeared to have lost the brilliance that enabled her to win back-to-back legs – the NEC Karuizawa and Nitori Ladies last August.
Together with her opening 74 at the hilly Musashigaoka Golf Course in Hanno City, Saso tallied a five-over 149 for joint 65th with only the top 50-plus ties (146) advancing to the final round of the 54-hole tournament.
Katsu bucked tough conditions and fired a second 67, spiked by a three-birdie string from No. 11, as she assembled a 10-under 134 and pulled away over 2016 champion Shin Jie by five.
Jie carded a 71 and remained at second with a 139 while Yuna Nishimura and Miyuu Yamashita pooled identical 140s after a pair of 71s.