Yamashita Leads Maybank Championship as Top Seed Haeran Ryu Withdraws
Miyu Yamashita remains on track for a successful title defense at the Maybank Championship, carding a 6-under 66 on Friday to take a two-stroke lead into the weekend. The world No. 4 sits at 13-under 131 through 36 holes at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, maintaining the momentum of her 2026 season.
Yamashita, who won this event in a playoff last year, leads a chasing pack headed by Julia Lopez Ramirez and Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, both of whom finished the second round at 11-under par. The leaderboard saw significant movement from A Lim Kim, who recorded the lowest round of the day with an 8-under 64.
Yamashita carded a 6-under 66 to maintain her lead at the .
The second round was marked by both clinical scoring and unexpected setbacks for the field. World No. 3 Haeran Ryu, one of the tournament favorites, was forced to withdraw after sustaining a finger ligament injury. According to tournament officials, the injury occurred during a golf cart ride during the Wednesday pro-am, leaving the field without one of its highest-ranked competitors.
Matthews Records Ace for Charity
While Yamashita controlled the top of the leaderboard, Brooke Matthews provided the highlight of the day on the par-3 fourth hole. Matthews used a 9-iron to hole out from 130 yards for an ace. The shot carried significance beyond the scorecard, as it triggered a $20,000 donation from CME Group to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as part of the tour’s ongoing charitable initiatives.
Matthews’ hole-in-one was a rare bright spot in a round where many players struggled to match Yamashita’s consistency. England’s Charley Hull remains in striking distance, sitting in a tie for fifth at 9-under after a steady 69.
The par-3 fourth hole was the site of Brooke Matthews’ hole-in-one during the second round.
Yamashita Leads the ‘Japanese Wave’
Yamashita’s performance reinforces her status as a leading figure in what has become a dominant year for Japanese players on the LPGA Tour. Following Yuri Yoshida’s victory last week, Yamashita is aiming to become the fifth Japanese winner of the 2026 season. Her 2025 campaign, which included a win at the AIG Women’s Open, established her as a perennial contender in elite fields.
The defending champion has shown particular comfort on the Kuala Lumpur course, navigating the second round with clean ball-striking and avoiding the errors that hindered other top-10 players. With two rounds remaining, she faces the challenge of holding off a diverse international leaderboard featuring several players searching for their first win of the season.
