Maybank Championship rematch: all three 2025 playoff contenders entered in Kuala Lumpur

The Maybank Championship returns to Kuala Lumpur from October 29 to November 1, and the official LPGA entry list offers a compelling storyline: all three women who contested the 2025 title in a playoff are entered again. Defending champion Miyu Yamashita is listed alongside Hye-Jin Choi and Hannah Green, with both runners-up seeking another opportunity on the same course. Their entry status was marked 'Entered' as of October 26, but fields can still change before the opening round.

In 2025, Yamashita, Choi and Green each finished 72 holes at 18 under par, 270 strokes, before the Japanese player prevailed in the three-way playoff and earned $450,000. The 2026 event takes place on the West Course at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, a par-72 layout listed at 6,536 yards. The purse is $3 million, with 500 Race to CME Globe points available to the winner.

The Korean contenders arrive with fresh form. On October 25, Choi and Haeran Ryu tied for second on 16 under at the BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea, one shot behind first-time LPGA winner Yuri Yoshida. Both Choi and Ryu appear on the current Maybank entry list. For Choi, another near miss makes the return to the site of last year's playoff especially intriguing, although it is far too early to predict who will contend this week.

Other listed entrants include Ruoning Yin, Lottie Woad, Céline Boutier and Aki Iwai. Sponsor invitations include Malaysian players Natasha Oon, Mirabel Ting, Genevieve Ling and Kelly Tan, offering a local dimension alongside the international field. The organizer's entry and reserve lists remain subject to change.

A hole to watch is the 332-yard, par-4 16th. Water borders the left side and bunkers guard the right of the fairway. Depending on tee placement, players can choose a direct attempt at the green or a safer lay-up. A decision there could become pivotal late in the week.

This is a pre-tournament field preview dated October 26, not a report of an event already played. Information is drawn from the LPGA's official entry list, overview and past results: https://www.lpga.com/tournaments/maybank-championship/entries ; https://www.lpga.com/tournaments/maybank-championship/overview ; https://www.lpga.com/tournaments/maybank-championship/results .