Haeran Ryu, the world No. 3 and winner of two major championships in 2026, withdrew from the Maybank Championship in Kuala Lumpur on October 29 before hitting a shot. Her name appeared in the results as WD (withdrawn) ahead of her scheduled first-round tee time. No reason was disclosed. Neither the LPGA's available official reporting nor the initial event reports established an injury or any other cause, and such an explanation should not be inferred.
Why the absence matters
The West Course at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club is hosting a four-round LPGA event with a 78-player, no-cut field. With Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul absent, Ryu was the highest-ranked entrant. Losing a player ranked third in the world materially changes the field, without changing the scores already recorded by competitors on the course.
The 25-year-old South Korean has enjoyed a standout season, winning the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in June and The Amundi Evian Championship in July. The LPGA credited her with 11 top-10 finishes in 16 starts as of October 25 and five career LPGA victories. Her tour-leading strokes gained approach figure of 1.50 shots per round illustrates the quality of her iron play. None of those statistics provides an explanation for Thursday's withdrawal.
The week before Malaysia
At the BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea on October 25, Ryu took a four-stroke advantage into the last round. A closing 73, however, left her tied for second at 16 under par, one stroke behind winner Yuri Yoshida at 17 under. It was another excellent finish but not her third victory of 2026.
Those two events occurred only four days apart, but their proximity does not establish a causal connection. No confirmed information links the withdrawal to the previous result, fatigue or a medical condition.
The implications for the closing stretch
Missing Maybank removes one opportunity to earn additional Race to CME Globe points and Rolex Player of the Year points. Ryu entered the final weeks among Nelly Korda's main challengers; subsequent standings will depend on other players' results and future starts. The Asian swing moves to the TOTO Japan Classic, November 5–8, but Ryu's participation there should not be assumed without an official field announcement.
Meanwhile, Pauline Roussin-Bouchard led Maybank after the opening round with a 64 (−8). That is a first-round standing, not a final tournament result. For Ryu, the verified news is the withdrawal itself, with the reason still unknown.
October 29 update: Ryu listed among The ANNIKA commitments
In a separate 29 October announcement, the LPGA and organisers of The ANNIKA (9–15 November, Florida) included Haeran Ryu among the players committed to the event, alongside Lottie Woad, Charley Hull and Sei Young Kim. This confirms a stated intention to enter, not that she will definitely start, and it does not explain her withdrawal in Malaysia. The stated entry deadline is 3 November; the eventual field and tee times will determine who actually competes.
Sources: LPGA, October 29; Associated Press withdrawal report; LPGA BMW Ladies recap; Rolex Rankings.
