Na Yeon Choi protects lead at LPGA Malaysia

• Na Yeon Choi shot a third-round 68 to maintain a two-shot lead
• Rain interrupted play for more than four hours
• Inbee Park is two shots back, and Karrie Webb is three back

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Defending champion Na-yeon Choi of South Korea battled to a 3-under 68 Saturday to keep a two shot lead after a rain-interrupted third round of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia.

Choi birdied the first hole but rain then halted play for more than four hours. Choi finished with four birdies and a lone bogey on the 10th hole for a 13-under total of 200.

Fellow South Korean Park Inbee is two shots back after putting up the day's best score of 65, while Karrie Webb of Australia is another two shots back after a 68.

Choi, who won the U.S. Women's Open in July for her first major title, started the week hoping to defend her title at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club course and is now just 18 holes away from becoming only the second player this season to defend a title.

Yani Tseng of Taiwan won back-to-back titles at the Honda LPGA Thailand in February.

"I think I had a pretty hard time today. It was raining all day. That's why I play so long. We wake up like 12 hours ago and that's a pretty long day," Choi said.

"I think it's pretty the same like last year. The good thing is I know I cannot control other players' score. I am going to watch the leaderboard because I have to know what is the situation but I cannot control the score. I have to focus on my game, play my game, just play one shot at a time. I think that's my goal tomorrow."

But Inbee, whose confidence will be bolstered after her superb round, is determined to play the spoiler.

"I think I played much better in the rain than hot. The front nine was a little bit disappointing but I just knew the birdies would come out. I just tried to trust myself," Inbee said. "I think I still need a lot of birdies tomorrow to win. I'll just go out there and play aggressive and try to get myself a lot of birdies."

Suzann Pettersen of Norway, who produced a 7-under 64 on Friday, could not repeat her blistering form and finished the day with a 70 to slip to jointh fourth with Ai Miyazato of Japan on 8-under 205.

Pettersen was still in contention and only a stroke behind Choi at the turn but her chances faded after a double bogey on the 15th and another bogey on the 16th.

No. 2-ranked Stacy Lewis of the United States holds a share of 28th spot after finishing with a 73 for a three-day aggregate of 212.

Together with Tseng, they are the only players to win three times on the LPGA Tour this year.

Yani put up her best effort so far with a 3-under 68 to improve to joint 53rd spot on 218.

The tournament opens the tour's four-event Asian swing. The HanaBank Championship is scheduled for next week in South

Korea, followed by stops in Taiwan and Japan.