The LPGA has released the featured groups for the opening round of the 2026 Maybank Championship, scheduled for October 29–November 1 on the West Course at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club. One grouping immediately stands out: the winners of all three previous editions have been paired together. Ruoning Yin, Celine Boutier and defending champion Miyu Yamashita are due to start from the first tee at 9:16 a.m. Kuala Lumpur time on Thursday.
Boutier won the inaugural championship in 2023, Yin followed in 2024 and Yamashita took the title in 2025. Each arrives with a different storyline. Yin has already won twice on the LPGA Tour this season, claiming the FM Championship and Buick LPGA Shanghai in consecutive starts. Boutier has never finished worse than tied 16th in her three previous appearances in Malaysia. Yamashita is seeking to defend her title and collect a third LPGA victory of 2026.
Another featured trio tees off at 8:54 a.m.: Patty Tavatanakit, sponsor invite Anna Huang and Lydia Ko. At 9:27 a.m., Charley Hull will play alongside Yuri Yoshida and Grace Kim. Hull is returning for her first LPGA start since the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship. Yoshida arrives as the Tour's most recent winner, having claimed her maiden LPGA title at the BMW Ladies Championship on October 25.
The fourth Maybank Championship has a field of 78 players and a $3 million purse. It is a 72-hole event without a cut, so no competitor is eliminated after the second round on scoring grounds. The pairings provide an early focal point before any shots are struck: three past champions in direct comparison, a defending titleholder and the latest first-time winner competing in the same tournament.
All tee times quoted are local to Kuala Lumpur (UTC+8). The full opening-round schedule is available through the LPGA's official pairings page. Tournament results should not be inferred before play begins.
