01치열한 접전 끝에 지켜낸 왕좌, 야마시타의 완벽한 타이틀 방어
야마시타 미유가 LPGA 투어 메이뱅크 챔피언십에서 다시 한번 정상에 오르며 디펜딩 챔피언의 위용을 과시했다. 대회 내내 견고한 경기력을 유지한 야마시타는 마지막 순간까지 집중력을 잃지 않으며 리더보드 최상단을 끝까지 사수했다.
우승으로 가는 길은 순탄치 않았다. 강력한 경쟁자인 얀 류가 경기 내내 야마시타를 끈질기게 추격하며 압박을 가했으나, 야마시타는 결정적인 순간마다 흔들림 없는 샷으로 응수했다. 결국 얀 류의 추격을 따돌린 야마시타는 타이틀 방어라는 값진 결실을 맺었다.
이번 우승으로 야마시타 미유는 메이뱅크 챔피언십 2연패라는 대기록을 세우며 LPGA 무대에서의 입지를 더욱 확고히 다졌다. 디펜딩 챔피언으로서 겪어야 했던 심리적 압박을 이겨내고 거둔 성과이기에 그 의미가 더욱 남다르다는 평가를 받고 있다.
02Original (English) — LPGA
Miyu Yamashita of Japan poses with the trophy after winning the tournament following the final round of the Maybank Championship 2026 at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club on November 01, 2026 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Miyu Yamashita successfully defended her title at the LPGA Tour's Maybank Championship on Sunday, beating China's Yan Liu by two strokes.
The 2025 Women's British Open winner and third-round leader had a 72-hole total of 22-under 266 after a final round 68 on the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club course. She won last year's Malaysian tournament after a three-way playoff.
The Japanese golfer had five birdies Sunday, for just the one bogey at the par-4 9th, in a near perfect week where she led from Friday's second round until the final hole.
It was the 25-year-old's fifth career title and second in the LPGA Tour this season after she took a wire-to-wire, nine-stroke victory in the CPKC Women's Open at Royal Mayfair in Edmonton, Alberta in August.
On the back of Saturday's 63 to surge into contention, Yan kept in touch throughout the final round as she also shot a 68, but couldn't quite close the gap to the nerveless Yamashita and finished at 18-under 268.
Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, who led after the first round, shot 69 Sunday and was tied for third with amateur player Marisa Tojai (67) of Thailand a further shot back.
Australia's Robyn Choi was fifth at 17-under 271 after a 69.
Next week, the LPGA's four-week, late-season Asian swing ends with the Toto Japan Classic at Omitama outside Tokyo.