KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — Liyana Durisic emerged as the best-performing Malaysian in the opening round of the Maybank Championship 2026 after carding an impressive five-under 67 to finish tied for sixth place at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC) here today.

The 25-year-old produced a bogey-free round, sinking five birdies on the first, third, fourth, 13th and 15th holes to put herself in a strong position heading into the second round.

“Today went really well. My ball striking was really good, and I managed to minimise mistakes by making sure I missed in the right spots.

“I also managed to make two putts when needed, which helped me put together a good round,” she said to the media after the first round today.

She added that playing in front of the home crowd gave her extra motivation, especially with her close friends cheering her on throughout the round.

“It was very heartwarming to see my close friends supporting me. I thought they would leave after nine holes, but thankfully, they stayed, which was really nice.

“I think it gives me a lot of energy. I’m not just playing for myself, but also for other people and my country, so it was really nice,” she said.

Meanwhile, Natasha Oon and Genevieve Ling were the joint second-best Malaysian performers after carding two-over 74 each, followed by Mirabel Ting with a three-over 75 and Kelly Tan with a four-over 76. — Bernama