The lead changed hands at the Evian Championship, and Thailand's Moriya Jutanugarn goes into today's final round with a one-shot lead ©Getty Images

Moriya Jutanugarn shot a three-under-par 68 to take a one-shot lead in the Evian Championship going into tomorrow’s third and final round – following the controversial decision to scrap the original first round in increasingly bad weather conditions.

The 23-year-old Thai player is thus in a promising position to earn her first career victory in the fifth and final major of the Ladies Professional Golf Association European Tour and to match the performance of her 21-year-old sister Ariya, who earned five victories in 2016 including her first major title.

Today, however, for the fourth consecutive time in a major, the younger sister failed to make the cut for the final round.

 “She won a major last year,” Moriya said of her sister’s victory at the Ricoh Women’s British Open on the LPGA website.

“I'm really happy for her.

“I try to keep working on my game, keep improve whatever I can.

Moriya Jutanugarn en route to a three-under-par 68 in the second round of the Evian Championship that gives her a one-shot lead going into tomorrow's final day of a tournament controversially reduced to 54 holes because of bad weather ©Getty Images
Moriya Jutanugarn en route to a three-under-par 68 in the second round of the Evian Championship that gives her a one-shot lead going into tomorrow's final day of a tournament controversially reduced to 54 holes because of bad weather ©Getty Images

“It's just like my big goal, as I always say, I want to win my first tournament.”

In second place at the Evian Resort Golf Club in southern France, one shot behind, is Japan's Ayako Uehara, who shot a five-under par 66.

Her previous best finish in Evian was a tie for 17th in 2011, before the event became a major.

Katherine Kirk of Australia is in the hunt for her second win of the season as she stands third at seven-under par.

A pack of major champions will be chasing from three-strokes back on tomorrow.

Lydia Ko, In-Kyung Kim and Sung Hyun Park are all within striking distance at six-under par.

Park, who was one of those who benefited from the decision to scrap the original first round – where she was six over par after nine holes – two a two-shot lead into the second round after shooting 63.

But she slipped down the placings with a two-over par 73.

 “I didn't play well today, so I have a little gap from the top players,” who won the US Open in July.

“But like personally I feel more comfortable to actually chase those top players from the back.

The cut line fell at three-over par, and Jessica Korda of the United States, who led at two-under when the original first round was scrapped, was one of those who failed to make it.