Yin holds off Thitikul, Ryu in thriller; Pagdanganan, Saso tie at 18th

MANILA, Philippines — In a thrilling showdown at the Maybank Championship in Malaysia, Ruoning Yin displayed nerves of steel to edge out Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul and South Korea’s Haeran Ryu, clinching the title with a final-round 65 for a 23-under 265 total on Sunday.

Yin's victory came down to the closing par-5 18th, where she matched Thitikul's birdie, securing a one-shot win.

Yin reached the 72nd hole a stroke ahead of Thitikul and two up on Ryu after the troika battled through a tied match following a hard-fought 54 holes. Thitikul’s eagle putt on the last hole just missed by inches, while Ryu, who needed an eagle to force a tie, pulled her shot left.

Yin, unruffled, made a confident birdie to seal the title, adding this victory to her recent triumph in Shanghai.

The win also brought back memories of Yin's 2023 Women’s PGA Championship, where she narrowly beat Yuka Saso. In Malaysia, she outlasted a determined Thitikul, who closed with a 66 for a 266, while Ryu settled for third after her 67 brought her to 267.

For Bianca Pagdanganan and Saso, it was a weekend of resilience. The former started strong, climbing into the Top 10 with a birdie on the second hole. However, setbacks, including a double bogey on No. 3, slowed her progress.

She showcased flashes of brilliance with an eagle on the fifth and back-to-back birdies on Nos. 16 and 18, ultimately finishing tied for 18th at 277.

Saso, rebounding from a second-round 75, fought her way back with consecutive rounds of 68, birdieing her final two holes to join Pagdanganan at 18th.

With the LPGA Tour headed to Japan this week, Saso is optimistic about building on her strong finish at her home event, the Toto Classic.

Meanwhile, in Japan, Filipino-American Rico Hoey closed with a four-under 66 at the Zozo Championship to tie for 22nd place.

Coming off a joint third place at the Shriners Children’s Open, Hoey’s Sunday round at Narashino Country Club featured five birdies against a single bogey on the front nine. Despite a late bogey on the 16th, he birdied the par-5 18th to finish seven spots higher at 271, 11 strokes behind winner Nico Echavarria of Colombia.

The Zozo Championship saw its own dramatic ending, with Echavarria’s 67 fending off Max Greyserman and Justin Thomas by one shot. Greyserman rallied with a 65, and Thomas posted a 66, both finishing just one shot shy of forcing a playoff at 261.