Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand
Jeeno Thitikul is on a mission to redeem her narrow loss in last year’s nine-hole playoff, and she made a strong statement with a stunning 8-under 64 in the third round of the US$3 million Maybank Championship. With a three-round total of 16-under 200 (67-69-64) at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club’s West Course, Thitikul finds herself in a three-way tie for the lead alongside China’s Ruoning Yin (67-67), who shot a 66, and Korea’s Haeran Ryu (64-69), who posted a 67.
Last year, Thitikul faced off against France’s Celine Boutier in an epic playoff that went down as the second-longest in LPGA Tour history, and she’s eager to take home the title this time around. “It’s been like a heaven week, to be honest,” Thitikul expressed. “KL is close to Thailand, and it feels like a second home with all the fans cheering here. And the course—it’s one of my favourites so far.”
Meanwhile, second-round leader Maja Stark (66-66) shot a 70, placing her fourth, just two shots behind the leaders. Defending champion Boutier (67-69) trails Thitikul by four strokes after carding a 68, tying for fifth with American Marina Alex (69-64), who recorded a 71. “It’s great to have memories here, but I know I need to stay focused. This course is very score-able, so you have to be aggressive,” Boutier emphasized.
Mirabel Ting of Malaysia
Malaysian amateur Mirabel Ting (67-75) made waves with an impressive 8-under 64, propelling her to a tie for tenth place with a three-round total of 10-under 206. Her strong iron play and solid putting were key factors in her success. “I hit my irons really well, and the putts were dropping today,” Ting noted. “Those two things made all the difference.”
The 18-year-old thrived on the support from local fans, especially her family. “Seeing my grandfather, mom, and brother out there meant so much,” she said. “I finished on the 9th, but hearing the cheers on both the 9th and 18th greens really lifted my spirits.”
After a disappointing 3-over round the day before, Ting approached Saturday with a renewed focus. “I told my caddie, ‘Let’s keep it simple today. I won’t even look at the yardage book,’” she explained. “Just focusing on the game and letting my caddie guide me really helped me stay grounded.”
Starting on the back nine, she birdied the 11th and chipped in on the 14th, building momentum. “I told myself, ‘This is going well; let’s keep it going,’ and it did,” she reflected, crediting the calm morning conditions for her ability to control her shots.
Reflecting on her impressive standing in such a high-profile event, Ting said, “I’m not expecting too much; I’m here to learn and experience.” “It’s amazing to be in this position alongside the best players, and I’m proud no matter what happens.”
Playing with seasoned LPGA Tour players, including Brooke Henderson, gave Ting invaluable insights. “Their short game is on another level,” she noted. “Putt after putt, it’s clear I have work to do. My short game is my weak spot, but I’m learning every round, just trying to improve.”
On matching the tournament’s lowest score, Ting shared her surprise and excitement: “I wasn’t expecting a 64 today. I just went out to play, telling myself, ‘If it happens, it happens.’ To achieve this shows me I belong on this stage.”
Ashley Lau of Malaysia
Ashley Lau (73-68) also shone in the third round thanks to her solid putting and consistent approach. She carded a 6-under 66, for a total of 9-under 207, which placed her in a tie for 12th position.
“I had a lot of birdie chances, and thankfully, the putts were dropping today,” Lau said. “I only missed a green or two, which made a big difference. Overall, I’m very happy with how my game felt out there.”
The 24-year-old Olympian from Bintulu felt a surge of support from friends, family, and local fans. “Seeing familiar faces out there, especially my friends and family, really helped. It’s such a boost to play in front of a home crowd,” she shared.
Though she had a slight miscalculation on her last hole, Lau felt confident in her choices throughout the day. “Maybe I should’ve gone with a longer club on that last approach to cover the bunker, but other than that, I’m pleased with my decisions,” she reflected. One of her round highlights was a perfectly executed chip-in that came after some frustration. “That chip going in was just icing on the cake,” she said, smiling.
Looking ahead to the final round, Lau plans to maintain her current mindset. “I just want to go out with no expectations, have fun, and enjoy the round,” she said. “Of course, I’m here to compete, but I’m also learning from these top players.”
Her near hole-out on the 14th hole was a standout moment for the crowd. “I was in between clubs, so I used the slope at the back, and it almost came all the way back in,” she explained. “The crowd reaction was fantastic—it was so fun.”
As a local player with a chance to finish high on the leaderboard, Lau aims to stay calm and focused. “Tomorrow, I’ll just treat it like any other round,” she said. “If it happens, great, but my main goal is to stay relaxed and enjoy it. That’s when I play my best.”
Adding to the excitement of the tournament, three players achieved holes-in-one on the par-3 4th hole: Denmark’s Emily Kristine Pedersen, American Kristen Gillman, and Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist. This marked the first occurrence of three aces in a single round since the 2022 JTBC Classic when Lilia Vu, Kelly Tan, and Jeonguen Lee each aced Hole 3.
