The LPGA Tour rolls into its fourth week in Asia with the third playing of the Maybank Championship on deck in Malaysia. That’s where 78 of the world’s top-ranked players will compete over 72 holes in a no-cut event at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club and vie for not just a share of a $3 million purse but also coveted points in the season-long award races. There’s a lot on the line with just three events remaining on the regular season schedule, so take a closer look at what you need to know about this week’s tour stop in Malaysia.

Ruoning Yin Defends

With a thrilling, bogey-free final round of 65 at the Maybank Championship in 2024, Ruoning Yin eked out a one-stroke victory over her close friend, Jeeno Thitikul, to secure her fifth career win on the LPGA Tour. Yin will seek successfully defend for the second time during the Tour’s Asian swing, having finished tied for 26th in her last title defense at the Buick LPGA Shanghai. The major champion has three top-five finishes on the LPGA Tour in 2025, her most recent coming at the U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills in May, as she’s played a limited schedule over the latter half of the season.

The Field

A star-studded field is poised to compete in the Maybank Championship, with Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul as the headliner. The world’s top-ranked player has finished runner-up in back-to-back starts in Malaysia, where she lost in a playoff to Celine Boutier in 2023 and finished one stroke behind Yin in 2024. Thitikul is the only multiple winner this season so far on the LPGA Tour with victories at the Mizuho Americas Open and Buick LPGA Shanghai.

Thitikul is joined in the field by world No. 4 Lydia Ko, who returns to Malaysia for the first time since 2023, when she finished in a tie for 11th. Ko’s teammate at the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown, Brooke Henderson, is also teeing it up this week. The Canadian has played well in Malaysia, where she was tied for sixth in 2023 and tied for 10th in 2024. Haeran Ryu, who was third in Malaysia last season behind Yin and Thitikul, is also in the field.

This week, 18 of the 27 different 2025 winners on the LPGA Tour are teeing it up, including Sei Young Kim, who was the most recent player to find the winner’s circle with her victory at the BMW Ladies Championship. The long-awaited triumph was Kim’s first on Tour since 2020, and this week, she returns to Malaysia, where she finished in a tie for 20th in 2023.

Awards Chase Heats Up

The Maybank Championship is one of four events remaining for the LPGA Tour, which means it’s crunch time for players to make a move in the season-long points races to determine the year’s biggest honors. Here’s an update on what’s on the line this week in Malaysia.

Rolex Player of the Year: Jeeno Thitikul heads to Malaysia with a narrow lead in the Rolex Player of the Year race, entering the week with 162 points, 39 points more than Minjee Lee, who has 123 points. But with Lee not in the field in Malaysia, Thitikul has a chance to further extend her lead.

Points will be awarded to the top-10 finishers on Sunday, with 30 points going to the winner and 12 points awarded for a second-place finish. One point is awarded to 10th place. Miyu Yamashita currently sits at No. 3 in the Rolex Player of the Year standings with 114 points and is also in the field this week in Malaysia. Nelly Korda was named Player of the Year in 2024.

Vare Trophy: Jeeno Thitikul is well positioned to go back-to-back as winner of the award for lowest scoring average of the season, having also secured the honor in 2024. Thitikul currently leads the Tour with a scoring average of 68.95 and is currently ahead of Minjee Lee, who is not in the field this week in Malaysia. Thitokul won the Vare Trophy in 2024 with a scoring average of 69.33.

Aon Risk Reward Challenge: Jeeno Thitikul could also be recognized with this season-long award for the second consecutive season. Thitikul leads A Lim Kim, who leapfrogged Minjee Lee and Jennifer Kupcho with her strong performance at the BMW Ladies Championship.

This week in Malaysia, the par-4 16th hole has been designated as the Aon Risk Reward Challenge hole. The short, 332-yard par 4 will present opportunities throughout the week for players to go for the green off the tee. The player who performs best on the designated Risk Reward Challenge holes all season long will be recognized as the winner of the Aon Risk Reward Challenge, which will be determined upon conclusion of The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican.

Money Title: Minjee Lee took the lead on the Official Money List with her victory at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Lee is ahead of Thitikul by $345,577, but with a victory this week in Malaysia, Thitikul could surpass Lee as the winner’s check is $450,000. Miyu Yamashita sits at third on the money list heading into the Maybank Championship and trails Lee by $930,731.

Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year: Miyu Yamashita isn’t just in the hunt for the season’s biggest honors, but she also has a chance to be named Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year. Her consistency throughout the season with nine top 10s in addition to her major victory at the AIG Women’s Open, has put her at the top of the Rookie of the Year race.

Yamashita heads to Malaysia with a 61-point lead over Rio Takeda, who is also in the field at the Maybank Championship. Points will be awarded to the top-10 finishers in Malaysia, with 30 points going to the winner and one point awarded for a 10th-place finish.

Chasing CME Berth

The Maybank Championship is just one of three events remaining for players to earn much-needed points in the Race to the CME Globe Point standings. The top 60 players in points after the conclusion of The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, will earn a spot in the field at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. This week in Malaysia, there are several players who are on the bubble that will need a good showing to further shore up their position in the points standings over the season’s closing stretch.

Yan Liu sits at No. 59 in the points race heading into the Maybank Championship and is looking to qualify for her first CME Group Tour Championship. Wei-Ling Hsu sits at No. 61 and is currently just outside the cutoff to qualify for the Tour Championship, for which she is trying to qualify for the first time since 2021.

Julia Lopez Ramirez is positioned at No. 63 in the point standings in her rookie campaign.

Saki Baba is sitting at No. 65 in the point standings in her first year on the LPGA Tour and will need a solid performance over the season’s closing stretch to jump inside the top 60.

How to Watch

Malaysia is 12 hours ahead of the Eastern Time zone, but live coverage of all four rounds will be available on Golf Channel. Here is the broadcast schedule for the Maybank Championship. All times are ET.

Wednesday, October 29 - 9:30 p.m. - 2:30 a.m. on Golf Channel

Thursday, October 30 - 9:30 p.m. - 2:30 a.m. on Golf Channel

Friday, October 31 - 9:30 p.m. - 2:30 a.m. on Golf Channel

Saturday, November 1 - 9:30 p.m. - 1:30 a.m. on Golf Channel

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