Arpichaya Yubol of Thailand made seven birdies over a 10-hole stretch Saturday. She carded the low round of the day, a 7-under 65, to climb into solo second at the TOTO Japan Classic. The 24-year-old sits at 14-under 202 at Taiheiyo Club Minori Course in Omitama, Ibaraki, Japan, one stroke behind leader Aki Iwai with 18 holes to play.

Yubol moved up 10 spots on the leaderboard. Iwai of Japan posted a 6-under 66 to reach 15-under 201. Youmin Hwang of the Republic of Korea and Japan’s Erika Hara share third at 13-under. Defending champion Nasa Hataoka began the day with a one-stroke lead but carded an even-par 72. She is part of a four-way tie for fifth at 12-under.

Yubol started on No. 1 and birdied the par-5 second. She gave that stroke back with a bogey at the par-4 fifth, then went back-to-back at the par-4 seventh and the par-3 eighth to turn in 2-under 34.

She pulled away from the field on the back nine. Yubol birdied the par-4 10th, then made back-to-back birdies at the par-5 12th and the par-3 13th to climb to 12-under. After a par at the 14th, she birdied the par-4 15th and the par-3 16th to reach 14-under. She closed with pars at the 17th and 18th for an inward 31. Her card showed eight birdies and one bogey. She hit 12 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens in regulation and needed just 26 putts.

Yubol has been one of the best players in the field since the first round. She opened with a 1-over 72, then followed with consecutive 65s, which match her lowest round of the 2026 season. She has played the last 36 holes in 14-under.

Yubol is in position for her best finish at this event. She finished T22 at 7-under in 2024 and T34 at 4-under last year.

This week is Yubol’s 20th start of 2026, a season of near-misses. She has three runner-up finishes: a solo second at the Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba in April, a solo second at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Wakefern in May and a T2 at The Standard Portland Classic in August. She added her fourth top-10 of the year last week with a T9 at the Maybank Championship. She entered the week 18th in the Race to the CME Globe.

Yubol earned LPGA Tour membership for 2023 through Q-Series, after advancing through all three stages of qualifying. In 2024, she recorded four top-10 finishes, including a solo fifth at the U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally. Before joining the Tour, she won nine times on the Thai LPGA Tour, once on the Taiwan LPGA Tour and once on the LET Access Series. She also won two gold medals for Thailand at the 2022 Asian Games.

Yubol is still looking for her first LPGA Tour victory. She will start Sunday’s final round one stroke off the lead, with a chance to turn a season of close calls into a breakthrough.

Arpichaya Yubol Fires Low Round of the Day to Sit One Back at TOTO Japan Classic

Related Articles