Maybank Championship Tips & Predictions
The LPGA Tour stops off in Malaysia this week for the Maybank Championship, where a 78-player field will be battling it out for the spoils on the West Course at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
Celine Boutier claimed the inaugural title last year, beating Jeeno Thitikul in a mammoth nine-hole play-off and those two are priced at 12/1 and 15/2 respectively for the 2024 edition.
World number one Nelly Korda will once again be absent due to a minor neck injury, while Olympic champion Lydia Ko has opted to skip the tournament.
Tip 1 - Mao Saigo to win and each-way @ 14/1
Scoring was low last year with -21 the mark needed to get into the play-off and the quality of this week's field suggests a good number will be required to lift the title.
This could be the perfect opportunity for Mai Saigo to land her first LPGA Tour title in her debut campaign at this level, something she has been threatening to do of late with her last three results reading T4-T2-T12.
Another talented Japanese star, the 23-year-old is second in birdies and fourth in eagles this season, while her greens in regulation ranking of third is a huge positive given how important accuracy on approach is here.
Tip 2 - Hye-Jin Choi to win and each-way @ 25/1
Another interesting contender is South Korean Hye-Jin Choi, who has also been threatening to make her LPGA Tour breakthrough with top-five finishes on her last two starts.
The 25-year-old has another three top-10 results and a tied-third to her name this year and her solid approach play, which has her 10th in GIR, should help her get into the mix.
If Choi can keep exacting improvement from the putter, like she has in her last two outings, then there is every chance she can claim the spoils.
Tip 3 - Jenny Shin - Leader after round one @ 35/1
South Korean Jenny Shin has a habit of starting off tournaments quickly and she can make another fast opening in Thursday's first round on the West Course.
The 32-year-old, whose sole LPGA Tour title came at the 2016 Volunteers of America Texas Shootout, leads the round one scoring average this season on 69.42.
Shin made a strong start at August's Women's Open, carding a 69 on day one to sit just two off the lead, while she was three strokes off the early pace at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
On her last start at the BMW Ladies Championship, Shin was tied for the lead after 18 holes with Hannah Green and Ashleigh Buhai, after the trio each signed for a 64.
Shin eventually secured top-20 finishes in all three of those tournaments and it would be no surprise if she enjoyed another fast start in Malaysia before recording another solid result.