Yamashita Miyu is congratulated by fellow players after winning the tournament for the second consecutive year. [AP]
Yamashita Miyu is congratulated by fellow players after winning the tournament for the second consecutive year. [AP]

Yamashita Miyu of Japan successfully defended her title at the LPGA Tour's Maybank Championship, which carried a $3 million purse, winning the event for the second consecutive year.

Yamashita shot a 4-under-par 68 in the final round Sunday at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club West Course (par 72) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, finishing at 22-under 266 to beat runner-up Liu Yan of China by two strokes.

Last year, Yamashita entered the final round eight strokes behind leader Choi Hye-jin but made seven birdies without a bogey to force a playoff, then sank a birdie putt in the playoff against Choi and Hannah Green of Australia to claim the title.

The victory was Yamashita's third of the season on the LPGA Tour, following wins at the Meijer LPGA Classic in June and the CPKC Women's Open in August, moving Yamashita into third place on the multiple-wins list behind Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul, who each have four. Yamashita has also won the Sony JLPGA Championship on the Japan LPGA Tour and the Aramco Korea Championship on the Ladies European Tour, giving Yamashita five victories across all tours this season.

Yamashita entered the final round with a two-stroke lead but faced a strong challenge from playing partner Liu Yan. Liu, who fired a 9-under-par round Saturday to jump into a tie for second, made a birdie on the par-4 2nd hole and then holed a 3-meter eagle putt on the par-5 4th to draw level with Yamashita.

Yamashita, known for precise iron play, responded with birdies on the par-5 3rd and 5th holes to retake the lead. After trading a birdie and bogey on holes 8 and 9, Yamashita added a crucial birdie on the par-3 11th, pulling clear after Liu made a bogey on the 14th.

Liu had one last chance on the par-5 18th, where a 6-meter eagle putt could have forced a playoff, but the ball stopped short for a birdie. Yamashita then drained a 3-meter uphill birdie putt after Liu's eagle attempt missed, sealing the two-stroke victory.

Marisa Tojai, a 17-year-old amateur from Thailand, carded a 5-under 67 in the final round to finish at 19-under 269, sharing third place with Pauline Roussin-Bouchard of France. Tojai had made six birdies through the 13th hole to threaten Yamashita's lead, but a water hazard and double bogey on the par-4 16th ended the charge.

Kim Ah-rim made four birdies on the back nine to finish at 15-under 273, good for sole seventh place. Choi Hye-jin, who had finished runner-up in each of the previous two weeks, posted a 4-under final round to finish at 14-under 274, tying for ninth with Yang Hee-young, Yoshida Yuri of Japan and Celine Boutier of France.

Hwang Yu-min, who is chasing the Rookie of the Year award, fired eight birdies against two bogeys for a 6-under final round, finishing at 12-under 276 in sole 20th place.


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