Miyu Yamashita successfully defended her title at the LPGA Tour’s Maybank Championship on Sunday, defeating China’s Yan Liu by two strokes. The third-round leader finished with a 72-hole total of 22-under par following a final-round 68 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
Tournament Performance and Career Milestone
The Japanese golfer recorded five birdies and a single bogey at the par-4 ninth hole during a strong week where she held the lead from Friday’s second round to the final green. This victory marked the 25-year-old’s fifth career title and her third on the LPGA Tour this season, following previous wins at the Meijer LPGA Classic and the CPKC Women’s Open in August.
Reflecting on the challenging final day, Yamashita stated, “Today was an especially tough round for me. Yan Liu hits the ball with so much power and distance. She was making birdies early and hitting aggressive shots. I felt like I couldn’t let my guard down for a single moment until the final putt dropped on the 18th.”
Final Leaderboard Standings
Yan maintained pressure throughout the final round after shooting a 63 on Saturday, matching Yamashita’s closing 68 to finish the tournament at 18-under par. Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, the opening-round leader, carded a 69 on Sunday to tie for third place alongside Thai amateur Marisa Tojai, who shot a 67 to finish one stroke further back. Meanwhile, Australia’s Robyn Choi secured fifth position at 17-under par after completing a round of 69.
The LPGA Tour’s late-season Asian swing concludes with the upcoming Toto Japan Classic, scheduled to begin on Thursday.
