Jasmine Suwannapura of Thailand talking to the media
Thailand’s Jasmine Suwannapura clung to her lead at the Maybank Championship, shooting -3 on a hot a humid Friday at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. After shooting a career-low, -9 round on Thursday, Suwannapura had to fight back from an early deficit on Friday to keep her place at the top of the leaderboard. She made bogey on holes 1 and 3 to start the day, but luckily, the 30-year-old was prepared to see some bogeys on her card on Friday and didn’t let the early mistakes impact the rest of her round. She ended up shooting another career-low, a 132 that ties her lowest 36-hole score on the LPGA.
“After the round (Thursday) we got pin position and I was talking with my caddie and I said, ‘they’re probably mad at us yesterday,’ and all the pin position was pretty much in toughest on each hole. You know, all the corner, back left, back right. I’m like, yeah, today will be a tough one,”
Suwannapura said. “I think I didn’t really get stress about the two bogeys, and I feel like today especially pin position was not that easy at all. I feel like couple bogeys, it’s makes sense. So just ‘trying my best and hopefully make some birdie coming in. At least make even par today.’ That’s what I think (after the bogeys).”
Suwannapura dropped her first birdie on the par-4 No. 6 and made the turn at -8 overall, one stroke back of the lead at that point. As birdies started falling for everyone on the back nine, Suwannapura chased the leaders with birdies on 11 and 12 before a string of pars on 13, 14 and 15 held her back. She finally sank two more birdies on 16 and 17, and almost added another one on 18. Having seen rookie Rose Zhang sink a long birdie putt on 18 while Suwannapura was waiting on the fairway, the Thai golfer hit her ball to nearly the same spot, but was unable to sink the putt to take a two stroke lead. Nevertheless, it was a solid comeback to Suwannapura, who will hold a second-round overnight lead for just the second time in her 12 seasons on the LPGA Tour.
Rose Zhang of the United States
Young-and-upcomer Zhang sits in second after shooting a solid 68 on Friday to follow her Thursday 65. The American started the day with six straight pars before her scorecard turned very colourful. She made bogey 7 but quickly made up for it with three birdies on 8, 9 and 10. On 13 she made birdie again but followed it with a double bogey on the par-4 14th, which played as the easiest hole on Thursday but had the tee box pushed significantly back on Friday. Zhang birdied 15 and 16 to make up for the double and then sank the long putt on 18 to take the solo second spot heading into Saturday.
“When you’re out here you really have to be throwing darts and firing on all cylinders. When you make a mistake it’s how you stay composed and come back to it,” said Zhang on coming back from her double. “So I’m really glad how I fought, and I felt like it was a really good way to finish.”
Three players sit in a tie for third, including three-time 2023 Tour winner Celine Boutier, who shot the low round of the day with an 8-under 64 highlighted by nine birdies. Peiyun Chien and Hannah Green join Boutier in the third-place spot. Epson Tour graduate Natasha Andrea Oon, who will be playing as a LPGA Tour rookie in 2024, continues to lead the contingent of six Malaysian players in the Maybank Championship.
Natasha, starting from the back nine, secured two birdies, holding a promising two-under score before a slight setback with two bogeys on the 10th and 11th holes. However, she recovered on the 15th hole, concluding the day with a one-under 71, amounting to a total of three-under (141) over two days. She is tied in 37th place with nine other players including the Jutanugarn sisters.
Despite the mixed performance, she remains steadfast in her approach, aiming for strategic placements and more aggressive putting.
Natasha Andrea Oon of Malaysia
Expressing her determination for a strong finish, Natasha shared, “Just making sure I strategise where I place myself, try to go for it. Maybe go for more putts because I’ve been leaving some short out here. Yesterday definitely was kind of like a really good type of strong showing, and then kind of like eh at the end. Today was like we’re getting there and then it’s like oops, and I have to climb back up a bit. They’re both similar patterns, as Tom said, but I’m just going to be happy with it. Really, I just tried my best out there really.”
On the other hand, Maybank ASEAN Ambassador Kelly Tan faced challenges, recording a four-over 76, bringing her two-day total to three-over 147. Although she managed two birdies, they were overshadowed by six bogeys, placing her in joint 71st position alongside Matilda Castren and India’s Aditi Ashok.
Among other Malaysian contenders, Ashley Lau and amateur Jeneath Wong performed commendably, securing a joint 59th placing with a one-under total score. Alyaa Abdulghany followed closely at two-over, sharing the joint 69th position, while young amateur Ng Jing Xuen currently sits in 75th place.
