The inaugural Maybank Championship ASEAN Qualifier begins tomorrow at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club (KLGCC), featuring a competitive field of 35 professionals and leading amateurs from across the ASEAN region.

Players will compete over two rounds at KLGCC’s West Course, all aiming for a top-five finish that guarantees a spot in the LPGA Tour’s USD3 million Maybank Championship from October 24-27.

Thailand leads the international lineup with eight players, including Wassawan Sangkapong, the highest-ranked professional in the field with a Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking of 472, and Kristina Natalia Yoko, Indonesia’s second-highest-ranked lady amateur with a World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) of 265. Singapore’s 15-year-old golf prodigy Chen Xingtong, the youngest-ever winner of the Singapore Open Amateur Championship, is also in the mix.

Malaysia has the largest contingent with 19 entries, including experienced professionals like Aretha Pan, Dianne Luke, and Michelle Koh. The amateur side is led by Ng Jing Xuen, who won gold at last year’s Southeast Asian Games, and the in-form Winnie Ng Yu Xuan, who has claimed multiple recent titles over the last two months. 

The Maybank Championship ASEAN Qualifier reflects Maybank’s commitment to supporting regional talent and providing opportunities for players to advance their careers. Last year’s Maybank Championship featured a thrilling nine-hole playoff won by Céline Boutier, and this year’s event is set to be even bigger with stars like Lydia Ko and Nelly Korda expected to participate.

Maybank aims to elevate the region’s profile on the global stage through this event, which last year reached over 170 countries and 560 million households.