Staff WriterHye-Jin Choi is making the Maybank Championship her personal showcase, holding a commanding five-shot lead heading into the weekend after carding a record-setting 130 through 36 holes at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
It’s the first time in her LPGA career that she’s led both after 18 and 36 holes — and the way she’s swinging, it might not be the last.
Her score smashed the previous Maybank Championship 36-hole record by two strokes and also marked a new personal best, surpassing her 131 from the 2022 CPKC Women’s Open. Choi’s second-round 6-under 66 was the lowest of the day, marked by seven birdies — five of them on the front nine — and just one blemish, a bogey on her opening hole.
“So from the start I made a bogey on the first hole, but I tried to keep the faith and play steady,” said Choi. “So I made lots of birdies today and my shots and putting was all good.”
If that sounds modest, the numbers aren’t. Choi’s one bogey over two days ties her for the third fewest in the field. She’s hit 13 birdies across 36 holes, matching the tournament high, and she’s done it with clinical calm — the sort of composure you’d expect from a player ranked No. 21 in the Rolex Rankings and sitting 11th in the 2025 Race to CME Globe.
Behind the Leaderboard: Yin and Green Chase, But Choi Controls the Pace
Trailing by five, Ruoning Yin and Hannah Green share second place at 9-under par. Yin fired a lively 5-under 67 highlighted by a run of four straight birdies on the front nine.
“I think you just got to be patient and just one shot at a time,” said Yin. “Like I said in the press, I think 5-under every day would be a good score, so I’m just trying to play 5-under every day. If I can shoot lower, that will be great.”
Green’s 3-under 69 was a bogey-free clinic — her third straight strong showing at this event following a T6 in 2024 and T17 in 2023. The Australian, fresh off her country’s victory at last week’s Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown, is clearly comfortable in Malaysia.
“I really enjoy coming to Malaysia. It’s almost like my home event,” said Green. “It’s only a six-hour flight from Perth and the same time zone. My husband just flew in yesterday, so it’s nice to have him here too.”
The 8-Under Logjam: A Crowded Pack Chasing a Distant Target
Eight players are locked at 8-under, including Lydia Ko, Linn Grant, Ayaka Furue, Miyu Yamashita, and Benedetta Moresco — all trying to keep pace with Choi’s relentless form.
Furue went bogey-free with four birdies and has hit 31 of 36 greens in regulation, tied for the most in the field. Grant echoed that consistency, crediting softer greens for creating more scoring chances.
“I think the greens are playing a little softer this year, which I enjoy,” she said. “You feel like every hole is an opportunity to make a birdie. They set the course up quite fun this year.”
Yamashita, Wang, Liu, and Yubol round out the group, each combining precision with patience — though catching Choi might require more than steady play; it’ll take fireworks. Lydia Ko, one of the most experienced in the bunch, knows the feeling well. “Not really changing much,” said Ko. “Just trying to stay cool and keep my energy levels up. I think I’m going to probably play better being fresh than being overtired.”
Local Hope: Ashley Lau Carries Malaysia’s Flag Into the Weekend
Among the home favourites, sponsor invite Ashley Lau leads the Malaysian charge at T41. The 24-year-old Epson Tour regular has carded eight birdies and five bogeys through 36 holes, showing flashes of brilliance.
Lau, who represented Malaysia at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has made 16 cuts in 20 starts this season with three top 10s, including a T3 at the Reliance Matrix Championship.
Choi’s Year in Context: Consistency Meets Opportunity
Choi’s 2025 campaign has been one of quiet excellence — 19 cuts made in 21 starts, eight top-10 finishes, and over $1.8 million in earnings without yet claiming a victory.
A runner-up at the Meijer LPGA Classic and a consistent presence inside the top 15 during the Asia swing, she’s knocking loudly on the door of her first LPGA title.
That’s not to say she’s unfamiliar with the winner’s circle. In Korea, she’s a 12-time KLPGA champion — five of those wins coming in her breakout 2019 season. Her calm, deliberate style and pinpoint iron play have made her a fixture near the top of leaderboards worldwide.
And at the Maybank Championship, she’s found a course and conditions that match her game perfectly. A T6 finish here last year and a T29 in 2023 laid the foundation — now, with history already made at 36 holes, she’s eyeing a bigger prize come Sunday.
Tournament Records and Quick Stats
- 18-hole record: 62, Jeeno Thitikul (R3, 2023)
- 36-hole record: 130, Hye-Jin Choi (2025)
- 54-hole record: 198, Rose Zhang (2023)
- 72-hole record: 265, Ruoning Yin (2024)
Choi’s current pace puts several of those marks in danger, and with the greens softening and the field chasing, the weekend at the Maybank Championship promises more than just birdies — it could deliver history.
