Maybank Championship 2026: Yamashita leads by two at halfway as Liyana Durisic is top Malaysian

Defending champion Miyu Yamashita of Japan leads the Maybank Championship by two shots after 36 holes at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC). The world No. 4 shot a 6-under 66 on Friday (30 October) for a two-round total of 13-under 131. Liyana Durisic is the best of the five Malaysians in the LPGA Tour event. She is on 4-under 140, tied for 28th. The US$3 million tournament ends on Sunday, 1 November.

Yamashita moves in front

Yamashita followed her opening 65 with a 66. She won this title last year in a playoff, and she said her game is in better shape than it was then. Spain's Julia Lopez Ramirez and France's Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, who led after the first round, share second place on 11-under 133. Lopez Ramirez shot 66 and birdied three of her last four holes.

A Lim Kim of South Korea had the round of the day, a 64, and is fourth on 10-under 134, three shots behind. England's Charley Hull birdied five of her first six holes on Friday to take the lead for a while. She then dropped shots on two of her last three holes, signed for 69, and is tied for fifth on 9-under. Yuri Yoshida of Japan, who won the BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea last week, is on 5-under after a 70.

South Korea's Haeran Ryu withdrew before her first-round tee time on Thursday. She strained a finger ligament during a golf-cart ride at Wednesday's pro-am. The world's top two players, Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul, are not playing this week.

Liyana leads the home challenge

Liyana opened on Thursday with a bogey-free 5-under 67, which put her tied sixth. On Friday she shot 1-over 73, and she told Bernama she was not striking the ball as well as on day one. She is the best Malaysian at halfway, nine shots behind Yamashita.

Mirabel Ting made the biggest move among the Malaysians. She followed an opening 75 with a 4-under 68 to reach 1-under 143, tied for 43rd. After the round she spoke about how much the home crowd's support had meant to her. The other three Malaysians are further back:

• Natasha Oon: 74-71, 145 (+1), 60th
• Kelly Tan: 76-70, 146 (+2), 65th
• Genevieve Ling: 74-76, 150 (+6), 75th

Heat and humidity at KLGCC

This is the LPGA's fourth visit to Kuala Lumpur, and the hot, humid conditions have been a big factor. Lopez Ramirez said players need to stay calm and drink enough water to cope. With most of the field bunched behind the leaders, low scoring on the weekend could still change the leaderboard.

Weekend schedule

The third round is on Saturday, 31 October, and the final round is on Sunday, 1 November, both at KLGCC. Next week the tour moves to Japan for the Toto Japan Classic in Omitama.

Key takeaways

• Defending champion Miyu Yamashita leads by two shots on 13-under 131 after rounds of 65 and 66.
• Julia Lopez Ramirez and Pauline Roussin-Bouchard share second place on 11-under. A Lim Kim's 64 moved her to fourth.
• Liyana Durisic (67-73) is the best Malaysian on 4-under, tied for 28th.
• Mirabel Ting's 68 was the best round by a Malaysian on Friday. It lifted her to 1-under, tied for 43rd.

FAQ

Q: Who is leading the Maybank Championship 2026? A: Japan's Miyu Yamashita, the defending champion, is on 13-under 131 after 36 holes, two shots clear.

Q: How are the Malaysian golfers doing? A: Liyana Durisic is tied 28th on 4-under, Mirabel Ting tied 43rd on 1-under, Natasha Oon 60th, Kelly Tan 65th and Genevieve Ling 75th.

Q: When does the Maybank Championship finish? A: The final round is on Sunday, 1 November, at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

Sources: Bernama, Golf Today, Yahoo Sports, Malay Mail