Ruoning Yin came away with her second victory in her last three starts on tour this past weekend at the Maybank Championship. Yin claimed her third victory of the season after winning the Buick LPGA Shanghai just two weeks ago.
The Maybank Championship marks Yin’s fifth win of her young LPGA career. She teed off as part of a trio of young stars who have all joined the LPGA Tour within the past two years. Jeeno Thitikul, a 2022 rookie who previously went by Atthaya Thitikul, and Haeran Ryu, a 2023 rookie, rounded out the podium alongside the 2022 rookie Yin.
In what would become a battle to the end in the final round of action, Yin collected seven birdies and no bogeys, shooting a 65 in the final round and finished 23-under-par on her way to victory. Yin began to pull away from the group after heading into the tenth hole, ahead by one shot.
However, in the end, it would be the Dow Championship duo and two close friends going head-to-head on the final hole. Yin pulled out the win after sinking a long birdie putt to seal her friend Thitikul’s fate. Yin now has 16 career top-10s on tour and 6 this season alone. Yin also broke the 72-hole tournament record set just last year by Celine Boutier and Thitikul, shooting a 265 over the four days.
“I would say that was a really tough battle out there, and Haeran and Jeeno, they are really, really good and they just bring the best version of myself. I would say today the key for me is to be patient,” said Yin. “I had a really good start on the front nine and kind of just like yesterday, slowed down a little bit after 12. I have a lot of birdie chances on 14, 15, and 16, even 17. So when I missed on 16 green, David my caddie told me, ‘You’re doing good. Just be patient. Putts will drop.’ So I’m really happy that I stayed patient.”
Thitikul of Thailand finished second for the second straight year at the Maybank Championship after falling to Boutier in 2023. Thitikul finished at 22-under par and claimed her 40th career top=10 since joining the tour in 2022. Thitikul has 11 top-10s on the season and was a runner up for the second time this year.
Ryu of Korea finished third, which marks her twelfth top-10, as well as her eighth top-5 of the 2024 season. The 2023 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year won the inaugural FM Championship earlier this year.
The Maybank Championship also saw a breakout performance from amateur Mirabel Ting, who made her first career start on tour. The only amateur in the field, Ting finished T12 after scoring a 70 in the final round. Ting, a native of Malaysia, was grateful for the support she received from the home crowd during the final hole of the event.
“I think I got a little bit emotional back there. You know, especially having everyone out here but not my dad. My dad passed away two years ago. You know, to be able to do this in front of a home crowd, having the support means a lot to me. My dad would be looking above me and I think he would be proud of me today.”
LPGA Tour action continues at the TOTO Japan Classic next week, from October 31 to November 3, 2024.
