Staff WriterThe Maybank Championship got off to a sizzling start in Kuala Lumpur as South Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi fired a bogey-free 64 — her lowest opening round of the season — to seize the solo lead at Club at Saujana Golf & Country Club.
Her eight-under performance, featuring an eagle and six birdies, marked her lowest 18-hole score since her 63 at the BMW Ladies Championship last year, setting the tone for a fierce battle ahead.
Choi’s precision was surgical. She needed just 24 putts — tied for the second-fewest in the field — to carve her way to the top of the leaderboard at the Maybank Championship, where the conditions punished even the slightest lapse in concentration.
“So this course, to talk about this course, if you don’t miss your tee shot you don’t make bogeys and you can make a lot of birdies,” said Choi, who avoided trouble with a string of clutch pars. “I had a lot of situations which I could make bogeys because of rough and hazard, but I made a lot of good pars.”
At 24, the Rolex World No. 21 looks every bit the seasoned contender she’s become. With eight top-10 finishes this season and more than $1.8 million in 2025 earnings, Choi has quietly built one of the steadiest résumés on Tour. She’s still chasing that elusive first LPGA victory, but if today’s form is anything to go by, she’s not far off.
Chasing the Leader: Dryburgh and Moresco at -7
Just a shot back, Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh and Italy’s Benedetta Moresco share second after carding seven-under 65s — rounds as sharp as they were clean.
Dryburgh, a player who has long been due a breakout performance, went bogey-free and hit all 18 greens in regulation — the only player in the field to manage the feat. Her 65 ties her lowest round of the year and continues a strong run of form in Malaysia.
“Yeah, I mean, I’ve played really here in the past,” said Dryburgh, making her third start at the Maybank Championship. “Couple years ago finished top 10. So suits my eye. There is not really a hole out there that kind of — you know there is always a hole usually that’s like, oh, nervous for that one. Seem to like every hole out here.”
Moresco, meanwhile, was electric with the putter — racking up nine birdies, the most of anyone in the field, and hitting 17 of 18 greens. Her opening 65 marks just the third time she’s opened a tournament in the 60s.
“I think like what I kept telling myself out there was to keep trusting my feelings,” she said. “I’ve been working hard and I have to put trust in that. So I reminded myself on every shot, like trust your feelings, go for it. It paid off.”
A Crowded Race at -6
Seven players sit tied for fourth at six-under, including Lydia Ko, Pajaree Anannarukarn, Miyu Yamashita, Hannah Green, Ingrid Lindblad, Arpichaya Yubol, and Somi Lee.
Ko, who has looked more comfortable in recent weeks, showed the patience of a champion with seven birdies against a lone bogey.
“I felt like I stayed really patient and tried to stay cool out there,” said Ko. “Obviously playing good golf is important, but I think just keeping your energy levels from hole 1 to 18 is just as important.”
Thailand’s Anannarukarn matched Ko’s 66 with a bogey-free round of six birdies, while Japan’s Yamashita made eight birdies — tied for second-most in the field — showing the consistency that made her one of Asia’s rising stars.
Somi Lee was another standout, keeping her card clean with six birdies and no mistakes.
“First about the course fitting me, it’s not the course fitting. It’s about the course. The course is great and the greens are amazing,” Lee said. “It just depends on how much I focus and how much I practice. It just performs on the green.”
Defending Champion Yin and Malaysian Hope Ting
Defending champion Ruoning Yin started solidly, carding a four-under 68 to sit tied for 21st. The Chinese star made six birdies but will need to sharpen her approach play if she wants to repeat last year’s record-breaking win.
Meanwhile, Malaysian eyes were on 21-year-old Mirabel Ting, who shone under pressure as the top local performer. The sponsor invite and recent Florida State graduate sits tied for 11th after a five-under 67 that included six birdies and just one bogey.
“Definitely a lot of pressure and expectations, but I kind of put everything aside,” Ting said. “At the end of the day, amateur and professional, you are still hitting the golf ball by yourself. You’re doing the same thing.”
Ting, who turned professional earlier this year, was the 2025 WGCA Division I Ping Player of the Year and ANNIKA Award winner — and her confident debut suggests she’s ready to compete on the LPGA’s biggest stages.
Course and Records
The Maybank Championship has already seen its share of low numbers, with Jeeno Thitikul’s 62 in 2023 still standing as the single-round record. Jasmine Suwannapura and Maja Stark share the 36-hole record at 132, while Rose Zhang’s 198 (54 holes) and Ruoning Yin’s 265 (72 holes) remain the gold standards to beat.
If Choi maintains her precision and composure, those marks may not stand for long. As the leaderboard tightens heading into the weekend, one thing’s certain — the Maybank Championship isn’t just another stop on the Asia swing.
It’s fast becoming one of the most fiercely contested events on the LPGA calendar.
