Yamashita Retains Title at LPGA Maybank Championship

Japan's Miyu Yamashita successfully defended her title at the LPGA Maybank Championship, held at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, finishing two strokes ahead of China's Yan Liu. With this result, she became the first golfer in the tournament's history to win in consecutive years.

Yamashita completed the 72 holes at 22 under par. The player, who shot a 68 in the final round, recorded five birdies, and her only bogey came on the par-4 ninth hole. Leading since Friday, Yamashita did not give up the top spot to anyone until the last hole.

Yan Liu made a strong start to the tournament with a 63 on Saturday. Liu also finished the final round with a 68, ending at 18 under par, but she could not close the gap. Pauline Roussin-Bouchard and Thailand's amateur Marisa Tojai shared third place. Tojai's score was one stroke behind them.

Yamashita earned her third LPGA Tour win this season, having previously won the Meijer LPGA Classic and the CPKC Women's Open. At the CPKC Women's Open in Edmonton, she led from start to finish and won by nine strokes. Yamashita said she did not let Yan Liu's long hitting distract her until the final putt. The LPGA's Asian swing will conclude with the Toto Japan Classic near Tokyo.