KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Starting her final round in a three-way tie for the lead, Yin Ruoning shot a 7-under 65 to win the Maybank LPGA Championship in Malaysia by one stroke for her second title this month.
Yin, of China, finished at 23-under 265 after a safe two-putt on the final hole. She held off Thai player Jeeno Thitikul (66), who was also runner-up at last year’s event after losing the second longest playoff in LPGA Tour history.
Yin had a dominant six-shot win at LPGA Shanghai earlier this month and also won the Dow Championship in June, where she partnered with Thitikul.
“I had such great year last year, I was wondering if I can win again, what if I can´t, such things,” Yin said according to AP.
“But I think I just really learned that I just need to enjoy myself out here and have fun, happy, so that´s what I do.”
South Korea’s Haeran Ryu shot a 67 and was two shots behind Yin. American Bailey Tardy, who equaled the best score of the round at 65, and second-round leader Maja Stark (70) of Sweden were tied for fourth at 16-under 272.
Hannah Green, who earned her third victory of 2024 and sixth of her career last week in South Korea, also had a 65 to finish sixth at 15-under 273.
She was tied with American Marina Alex (69), Hsu Wei-Ling (68) and Choi Hye-Jin (66).
Defending champion Celine Boutier of France was 11 strokes behind Yin after a 72 and finished tied for 12th.
Elsewhere, Colombia’s Nico Echavarria sunk a short birdie putt at the final hole to win his second US PGA Tour title at the Zozo Championship in Japan by a single stroke.
The birdie four enabled Echavarria to avoid a playoff with two-time major winner Justin Thomas and his fellow American Max Greyserman, who finished tied for second at 19-under par, AFP reported.
The Colombian reached the green in two at the par-five 18th and calmly rolled up a 40-foot eagle attempt to three feet before stroking home the winning putt at Narashino Country Club.
The 30-year-old, whose previous win came at the Puerto Rico Open in March 2023, took a two-shot lead into the final round where he carded a three-under 67 to finish on 20-under 260
A bogey at the eighth and another at 14 had opened the door for Thomas and Greyserman but the Colombian held his nerve to birdie two of the final three holes for the victory.
Thomas, who had been looking to end a more than two-year title drought since his second major win at the 2022 US PGA Championship, also birdied 18 for a four-under 66.
Greyserman had four birdies on the front nine and another on the 14th, but his birdie attempt on 18 to force a playoff rolled agonisingly wide of the hole as he finished with a 65.
American Rickie Fowler was alone in fourth, three shots behind Echavarria, after a final-round 64. Xander Schauffele, the winner of two majors this year, finished in a tie for 41st after a disappointing week.
He carded a quadruple bogey on the first day in a three-over 73 and though he bounced back with a 65, he was never in the hunt and finished with a 69 and a five-under total of 275, 15 strokes adrift of the winner.
Defending champion Collin Morikawa finished tied 54th at three-under par.
Taiwan’s Lee Chieh-po birdied the final two holes to pip Peter Uihlein and secure a first Asian Tour win at the International Series Thailand.
America Uihlein had led since second round until Lee stunned him with a superb closing round of seven-under-par 63 to finish on 21-under 259.
Uihlein had a 67 to tie for second place a stroke behind along with Canadian Richard T. Lee, who carded a 62.
Taiwan’s Lee birdied the par-five 17th to move to within one of Uihlein, who still looked to be heading for victory.
Lee drained a 12-foot birdie putt on the last, shortly before his American opponent found a greenside bunker and missed his par putt from a similar range.
“It’s been a simply amazing week,” said the victorious Lee, who finished runner-up twice previously.
