Hye-Jin Choi of South Korea
Japan’s Miyu Yamashita captured the US$3 million Maybank Championship 2025 in dramatic fashion on Sunday, birdieing the first playoff hole to defeat Australia’s Hannah Green and South Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club. The victory marked the 24-year-old’s second LPGA title in her rookie season, following her major breakthrough at the AIG Women’s Open in August.
Yamashita posted a flawless seven-under 65, the joint-low round of the day, to surge to 18-under 270 and force the three-way playoff. Choi, who entered the final round with a four-shot lead, closed with a 73 and missed a 12-foot birdie on the 72nd hole that would have handed her a maiden LPGA win. Green, coming off a team victory for Australia at last week’s International Crown, fired a streaky 68 with seven birdies and three bogeys, including a clutch birdie on 18 to join the extra session.
Hannah Green of Australia
Rain and lightning interrupted play twice, first for an hour after the leaders made the turn and again for over 30 minutes before the playoff, heightening the tension on a packed leaderboard. When action resumed, Choi briefly reclaimed momentum with a birdie at the tough par-4 16th, only for Yamashita to seal the deal with a two-putt birdie from 15 feet on the first return to the par-5 18th.
“It was my first LPGA playoff, so I was really nervous,” Yamashita said afterward. “I just tried to stay patient. I’m so happy to win again this season, and I’m truly grateful for the support from my manager, family, and sponsors.”
For Choi, the 26-year-old now owns 29 career top-10 finishes but remains in search of her first tour title; this was the third time she has led into Sunday and settled for runner-up.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand carded a four-under 68 to share fourth at 17-under 271 alongside China’s Liu Yan (65), Japan’s Akie Iwai (67), and South Koreans A Lim Kim (68) and Kim Sei-Young (66). Thitikul, a runner-up here the past two years, saw a late charge derailed by bogey on the 16th. Defending champion Ruoning Yin of China closed with 70 to finish T12 at 14-under, four strokes off the pace.
Mirabel Ting of Malaysia
Among the home contingent, Mirabel Ting led the Malaysian charge with a composed three-under 285 for T49, earning a start on the Epson Tour through Maybank’s regional invitee pathway. Kelly Tan and Genevieve Ling both finished T56 at two-under, while Ashley Lau and Liyana Durisic placed 70th and T72, respectively.
Thailand’s Cholcheva Wongras topped the ASEAN Qualifiers at T64 on even par, with the group gaining valuable experience against the world’s elite.
The week delivered plenty of fireworks, Ting’s fearless opening 67, Tan’s Saturday 68, Choi’s early dominance, Green’s final-hole drama, and Thitikul’s near-miss, underlining the Maybank Championship’s role in driving collaboration, competition, and community growth across the region. The LPGA’s five-week Asian swing concludes next week at the Japan Classic in Shiga.
