Maybank Championship 2024 Tips: Five for success in Malaysia

The LPGA moves on to Malaysia for the third leg of its tour of East Asia this week, with the second running of the Maybank Championship at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club’s West Course.

Our star golf tipster Jamie Worsley is back with his full Maybank Championship preview and tips, which range from 30/1 to a huge 150/1!

TOURNAMENT HISTORY

The Maybank Championship was launched last year, marking the LPGA’s return to Malaysia for the first time since the last renewal of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia in 2017. That event also took place at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, though at the East Course as opposed to this new event being staged at the venue’s West Course.

Celine Boutier won that inaugural edition in a mammoth nine-hole playoff – the second-longest in the history of the LPGA – against Jeeno Thitikul, after both players finished tied on 21-under-par after 72 holes. The Frenchwoman returns to defend her title, having narrowly finished 2^nd in Korea last week.

THE COURSE

The West Course at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club (also known as TPC Kuala Lumpur) was designed by Nelson & Haworth and opened for play in 1991. It then went through a large-scale renovation at the hands of Parslow & Winter Golf Design, which was completed in 2008.

Aside from this event, it was also the home of the CIMB Classic on the PGA Tour from 2013-2018 and the Malaysian Open on the DPWT/Asian Tour in 2006, and again from 2010-2015.

The course is a par 72 and will play to 6536 yards this week. It contains 10x par 4s (332-435 yards), 4x par 5s (469-526 yards) and 4x par 3s (145-186 yards). It was usually susceptible to low scoring in the CIMB Classic, producing winning scores of -23 or lower in its last four renewals and this translated to the first edition of this event last year, with that -21 winning number.

The visually appealing West Course is an undulating and hilly layout, with frequent elevation changes. Water acts as the dominant feature, in-play on 10 holes and providing plenty of risk/reward opportunities throughout.

Its densely tree-lined fairways are average-wide, though strong strategic bunkering narrows many of the landing areas and with the high lips on them, they must be avoided. The two-and-a-half inch bermudagrass rough can also make things tricky for those wayward drivers, but with little in the way of severe doglegs, until the final few holes at least, it’s an easy enough course on which to keep your ball in-play.

The elevated and sloping bermudagrass greens are large and will roll at a relatively slow 11.5 on the stimp this week. They’re well bunkered and further protected by plenty of run-offs.

There are birdie chances here at every turn. The par 3s aren’t the most intimidating and the par 5s can all be attacked in two. We also have a series of short par 4s, including two that will be drivable over the course of the event, with the tees pushes up on the 14^th and 16^th holes to play as short as 245 and 271 yards respectively. However, both are guarded by water.

Kuala Lumpur G&CC’s West Course is a fun, scoreable challenge and weather permitting, we should expect birdies to again flow in Malaysia.

THE WEATHER

The forecast for this week is a problematic one. It’s set to be hot and humid throughout the event, which is currently predicted to bring about intermittent thunderstorms from Friday – Sunday.

This should make for a stop/start event but with wind that isn’t too severe, the players should find a receptive setup there to be got at when they do manage to get out on the course.

KEY STATS

• SG: Approach

That forecast and the potentially receptive conditions that could develop means quality iron players should have the advantage this week.

It was an area that proved somewhat important last year, with winner, Celine Boutier ranking 19^th in approach, runner-up Jeeno Thitikul ranking 2^nd and 3^rd-place finisher, Rose Zhang ranking 6^th.

• SG: Off-the-Tee and/or Driving Accuracy

The driver was another vital weapon in 2023, and due to the difficulties that await for those who are loose off-the-tee, it’s no surprise to see accuracy prove more important than power.

Each of the top 5 last year ranked inside the top 25 off-the-tee, including winner, Celine Boutier ranking 8^th.

In addition, none of that same top 5 ranked outside the top 30 in driving accuracy. Boutier was 11^th and 3^rd-place finishers, Jasmine Suwannapura and Rose Zhang ranked 1^st and 6^th respectively.

• SG: Putting (bermudagrass)

The putter is always key in birdie-fests, as it was last year. Therefore, we should expect it to again be important this week.

All of last year’s top 5 ranked inside the top 20 on the greens. Celine Boutier was the seventh-best putter, whilst Jasmine Suwannapura and Rose Zhang ranked 2^nd and 3^rd respectively.

• Birdie or Better %

Finally, with those low scoring conditions on the horizon we can simply look at the most prolific birdie-makers on the tour to go well in Malaysia.

CORRELATING EVENTS (COURSES)

Honda LPGA Thailand (Siam Country Club – Old Course)

Siam Country Club’s Old Course is another venue at which we regularly see a tonne of birdies. With average-width and strategically bunkered fairways, and large, elevated bermudagrass greens, it should act a strong comp for this week’s challenge.

HSBC Women’s World Championship (Sentosa Golf Club – Tanjong Course)

Singapore is located at the southern tip of Malaysia, which means these two events are played in very similar climates. When we also counter in the Tanjong Course’s well protected fairways and large bermudagrass greens, the HSBC Women’s World Championship is another obvious comp.

The Ascendant LPGA (Old American Golf Club)

Old American Golf Club is a more exposed setup but as a heavily bunkered course with slow and largely elevated bermudagrass greens, it has enough similarities to provide some clues this week.

Chevron Championship (The Club at Carlton Woods – Nicklaus Signature Course)

The Nicklaus Signature Course at Carlton Woods is a tree-lined venue with large bermudagrass greens and similarly penal bermudagrass rough. The smart bunkering and prominence of water are other comparable characteristics, and when combined, can help point us in the direction of this week’s winner.

THE FIELD

Another strong field has assembled for this week’s event, headed by world #2 Lilia Vu. She is one of eight players from inside the top 10, which includes Jin Young Ko, who tees it up for the first time since finishing 2^nd in the FM Championship in August, and this week’s defending champion, Celine Boutier.

The European trio of Charley Hull, Linn Grant and Georgia Hall all make their first appearance of this Asian swing, whilst formerly highly-rated amateur and two-time winner in Australia, Ashley Lau flies the flag in front of her home crowd.

Maybank Championship Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Maybank Championship market on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices on this tournament.

SELECTIONS

Market leaders: Jeeno Thitikul 8/1, Ruoning Yin 11/1, Celine Boutier 12/1, Haeran Ryu 12/1, Jin Young Ko 14/1

Reigning champion, Celine Boutier is the most appealing of this week’s market leaders but in truth, there’s nobody at the top who truly jumps out at me, for all these highly-ranked players have obvious chances.

On the other hand, world #2 Lilia Vu looks excellent value, priced as the 14^th-favourite in the field and having shown some positive signs over the weekend in Korea, she kicks off this week’s selections.

1.5 pts Lilia Vu each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 30/1 

Vu has been dealing with a back injury for most of this year, but this hasn’t stopped her producing some excellent results. She won her fifth tour title at the Meijer LPGA Classic in June, and she has twice gone extremely close to adding to her two major victories last year, finishing 2^nd in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and she achieved the same finish in the Women’s Open three starts ago.

She has only played twice since then and has failed to strike a real blow, finishing outside the top 50 in both the Arkansas Championship and in last week’s BMW Ladies Championship. However, she did find something in approach over the weekend in Korea and signing off that event with her strongest round on the greens, she may just be primed for contention in Malaysia.

The American didn’t play here last year but she does look a good fit for the tournament statistically. She’s especially strong on the greens, ranking 14^th and regularly doing her best work on bermudagrass. Her accurate ball-striking game, ranking 23^rd in driving accuracy and 35^th in approach also bodes well, and as the 16^th-ranked player in birdie or better, she has everything in her favour.

Vu's case is strengthened by victories in the Chevron Championship and Honda LPGA Thailand, and completes a profile that looks ideal for Kuala Lumpur G&CC’s West Course.

1.25 pts Allisen Corpuz each way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 40/1

Allisen Corpuz returned from a three-week absence to produce a sound 18^th-place finish last week. With her suitability to this course evident from her 15^th-place finish in 2023, last year’s US Women’s Open winner holds plenty of appeal in Malaysia.

Corpuz has had a largely consistent year, missing just four cuts in 21 starts and recording 10 top-25 finishes. She has turned three of those into top 10s, with the best of them coming three starts ago when 4^th in the FM Championship.

Her precision ball-striking is key to her success, ranking 1^st in driving accuracy and 16^th in approach. The putter is solid enough and it’s worth noting that many of her better performances with the club come on bermudagrass. Indeed, two of her three best displays last year came on the surface.

Corpuz’s accurate long game was a major factor in her 15^th-place finish last year and she would’ve finished a lot closer had she not shot a 2-over 74 in round two. Top-5 finishes in the Chevron Championship and HSBC Women’s World Championship suggest this wasn’t a one-off and with her game looking in good shape, I’m expecting her to be in the mix this week.

1 pt Patty Tavatanakit each way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 60/1 

Patty Tavatanakit disappointed when I put her up last week, finishing 60^th. However, she did drive the ball straighter than she has all season there and with her approach play improving over the weekend, I’ve been tempted into giving her another shot in Malaysia.

It’s only two weeks since Patty finished a solid 16^th in China. That was her eighth top 20 this season in what has been an impressive year, recording victories in Saudi Arabia and Thailand.

She’s hit the ball well, ranking 18^th off-the-tee and 36^th in approach, which helps her make plenty of birdies, ranking 9^th in birdie or better. The putter hasn’t been quite the weapon that it has in previous years; although, she has recorded each of her tour victories on bermudagrass surfaces.

Tavatanakit finished 55^th here last year when her game was in much worse shape than it is now. Her victory earlier this year in the Honda LPGA Thailand suggests that she can improve on that considerably alongside the standard of golf she’s produced in 2024.

1 pt Lucy Li each way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 66/1

Lucy Li has been hitting the ball excellently of late, which has considerably improved her results. If able to carry that same level of form over to Malaysia, this talented youngster can earn her breakthrough LPGA win.

Li started the season well, recording four top 20s across her first six starts but saw her results drop off thereafter. She finally returned to form in the Scottish Women’s Open, finishing 12^th and following a missed cut in the Women’s Open, she’s finished no worse than 32^nd in her last five starts, including a best ever LPGA finish of 2^nd in the Arkansas Championship three starts ago.

Her approach play has been an asset all season, ranking 15^th and she’s been driving it much over those recent starts, recording three of her five best performances of the season over this period. Indeed, her ranking of 14^th off-the-tee last week rated as her second-best performance of the season in this area.

As we’ve seen in recent weeks, this level of ball-striking will allow a player to perform just about anywhere and if she can replicate it in Malaysia, Li can again go close to claiming that first LPGA title.

0.75 pts Peiyun Chien each way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 150/1

Peiyun Chien was a solid 24^th when I put her up in China two starts ago. Continuing to hit the ball just about as well as anyone on tour, she can go even better than her 5^th-place finish here last year.

Chien has been super-consistent in 2024, missing just four cuts in 26 starts. She recorded a victory in Taiwan on her first start of the year but as yet, she still hasn’t managed to find that breakthrough on this biggest stage, recording a best of 4^th this year in the Founders Cup – one of six LPGA top 25s.

Her approach play has been vital, ranking 11^th and she’s also a more than respectable 30^th off-the-tee, where she’s impressively able to marry length with accuracy. The putter is often her undoing, but she has produced three of her four best performances this year on bermudagrass, whilst she also putted well here last year, ranking 14^th – her second-best putting display of the season.

That combination helped Chien to a 5^th-place finish at the West Course in 2023, as she opened with a 65 and followed with three further rounds in the 60s. She can go well again and give us a run at this tasty three-figure price.

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