After the first round at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, Mao Saigo finished the day at the top of the leaderboard after carding an impressive opening round of golf. Fifty-four players carded under-par rounds as they managed the heat of Malaysia in the second playing of the Maybank Championship.

Saigo teed off in the last grouping on Thursday at 9:27 a.m. local time. She started her run up the leaderboard early, making two birdies in her first three holes. She made a par on hole 4 before going on a tear, making four consecutive birdies from Nos. 5 to 8. Her third par of the day came on the ninth hole and she made the turn at six-under through the first nine holes. Her dominance did not stop there as she continued her climb with back-to-back birdies on the par-5 10th and the par-3 11th to reach eight-under through 11 holes.

At this point, Saigo was heading in the direction of besting her lowest round on the LPGA Tour, a 61 shot in the third round of the CPKC Women’s Open earlier this year. However, she quieted, making three pars from holes 12 to 14. Another set of birdies on the par-3 15th and on the Aon Risk Reward Challenge hole, the par-4 16th, had Saigo sitting at 10-under par with two to play. Her sole bogey of the day came on hole 17, and she parred the last to turn in a nine-under 63 in her first round of the Maybank Championship.

A 2024 LPGA Tour rookie, Saigo had yet to see Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club until she arrived on-site this week. Yet, she needed just 22 putts through her opening 18 holes at the new course.

“There is so much up and down so it's very difficult, but then it's really nice shape so I really enjoy playing on this golf course,” said Saigo.

Making her 25th start of the 2024 season this week, Saigo has been knocking on the winner’s door the entirety of the season. She has finished in the top 10 a total of seven times, including two runner-up finishes at the CPKC Women’s Open and the Buick LPGA Shanghai. This is the most finishes inside the top 10 without a win by any LPGA Tour player this season.

Ranked No. 9 in the Race for the CME Globe, Saigo sits in first place in the 2024 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year standings. With five events left on the 2024 calendar including the Maybank Championship, she has a chance to secure the award if she continues her dominant play.

The 2023 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year, Haeran Ryu trails Saigo by one shot heading into the second round. Despite not feeling her best, Ryu made eight birdies and did not card a single bogey en route to her best round since round four of the FM Championship in August, where she picked up her second career victory. She was one of just five players to have a bogey-free round on Thursday at the Maybank Championship.

“I don't remember my play today because today my body feels not good, so I just want a good finish,” said Ryu. “Yeah, 8-under is pretty good. Today my putter is good, better than last week. Yeah, I make a lot of birdie. I'm so happy.”

Ruixin Liu and Wei-Ling Hsu are tied for third after shooting rounds of 65. Both are making their first start at the Maybank Championship after not competing in the event last year. Six players are tied for fifth and sit at six-under par including 2024 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner Amy Yang, 2023 rookie Minami Katsu, Narin An, Kristen Gillman and LPGA Tour winner Maja Stark.

Mao Saigo Leads After Day One of the Maybank Championship

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