Staff WriterMiyu Yamashita delivered one of the great comeback stories of the LPGA Tour season, storming from eight shots back to claim her second win of 2025 with a birdie on the first playoff hole in Malaysia.
The 23-year-old Japanese star, already making waves in her rookie season, is the first player from Japan to win twice in a single LPGA season since Nasa Hataoka in 2021—and the first rookie to pull off the feat since Jeeno Thitikul in 2022.
“I was really nervous at the time and I couldn’t make a birdie on the 18th green,” said Miyu Yamashita after the final round. “After all that, I just started to reset my mind and get ready for the playoff.”
She certainly did. Bogey-free with seven birdies on Sunday, Yamashita played with calm precision under searing Malaysian heat, completing one of the largest comebacks in LPGA Tour history. Her eight-stroke deficit tied the second-largest comeback since 1980, and she became the first player to claw back from that far since Lilia Vu did it in 2024.
A Win to Remember
Yamashita’s consistency has been nothing short of remarkable this season. With 19 cuts made in 22 starts, 11 top-10 finishes, and more than $3.3 million in official earnings, she’s now ranked No. 6 in the Rolex Rankings and sits third in the Race to the CME Globe.
Her performance in Malaysia not only cements her Rookie of the Year frontrunner status—it marks the arrival of a player who looks destined for the game’s elite.
“So my putting was solid and I could make many birdies,” Miyu Yamashita said. “Since yesterday my shots were not good and after the third round I just practiced a lot and then I could make it, so I’m very happy about it.”
The Chase Pack
Hannah Green and Hye-Jin Choi shared runner-up honours after a spirited week that saw both players flirt with victory. Green, fresh off a T5 at the BMW Ladies Championship, racked up 25 birdies—tied for the most in the field—and posted back-to-back top-five finishes for the first time this season.
Choi, meanwhile, entered Sunday with a four-stroke cushion and set both the 36- and 54-hole tournament scoring records before slipping to a one-over final round. Still, her ninth top-10 of 2025 underscores her consistency during the Asian swing.
A cluster of five players finished tied for fourth at 17-under, including Sei Young Kim, Akie Iwai, A Lim Kim, Jeeno Thitikul, and Yan Liu—each putting up performances that could’ve easily been enough to win on another week.
Kim, ever the perfectionist, went bogey-free with six birdies, while Iwai’s precision earned her 59 of 72 greens in regulation.
Thitikul, twice a runner-up at this event, was philosophical about her week: “Yeah, I mean, to be honest, I’m not really confident with my putter coming in this week… but ending up here in the Top 10, being Top 5, I am really happy about how I fought with myself out there.”
Yan Liu, who’s been grinding through a long stretch of events, said: “Well, this is my four in a row so I’m going to have three more tournaments, so I think I need a good rest… my driver is pretty good and my distance control is very good, so I’m going to keep that for next week.”
Home Hero and Familiar Faces
Malaysia’s own Mirabel Ting gave the local fans plenty to cheer for, finishing as the top Malay player at T49. Making her LPGA debut after turning professional this summer, the former Florida State standout handled the occasion with grace.
“Yeah, there is a lot of support definitely,” Ting said. “But like I said before, to me, amateur golf or professional golf doesn’t really matter… I really enjoy it.”
Defending champion Ruoning Yin, who set the 72-hole tournament record last year, closed in 12th at 14-under with a respectable six birdies on the final day.
A Star Is Born
Miyu Yamashita’s rise has been anything but sudden. Before joining the LPGA Tour, she won 13 times on the JLPGA, including three major titles, and was named Player of the Year in both 2022 and 2023. She even finished T4 at the Paris Olympics—a signal that she was built for the big stage.
Now, with two LPGA titles in her rookie campaign and a growing list of records, Yamashita has moved from prodigy to powerhouse.
As Sei Young Kim summed up the Asian swing: “It feels great because Asian Tour, I love play here… always have fun to play the Asian Swing.”
Yamashita’s version of “fun” looks a lot like dominance—and she’s just getting started.
