KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — In fading light and with another thunderstorm approaching, France’s Celine Boutier made a birdie on the ninth playoff hole to defeat Atthaya Thitikul and win the LPGA Tour’s Maybank Championship on Sunday.
In a marathon playoff, both golfers made nearly identical shots on several holes and saw potential winning putts lip out as they stayed tied through eight tense extra holes, which included sitting out a 90-minute storm delay at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
At the ninth playoff hole on the par-3 15th of the West Course, the Thai player narrowly missed her birdie putt, opening the door for Boutier, who showed no nerves in sinking her six-foot putt to clinch her fourth title of the season, including wins at the Women’s Scottish Open and the Evian Championship for her first major title.
Boutier and Thitikul finished at 21-under-par 267 after 72 regulation holes. Their extra nine holes tied the record for the second-longest playoff in LPGA Tour history.
Boutier shot an 8-under 64 with eight birdies, which would have been nine had her birdie putt on the 18th not lipped out. Had that gone in, she would have held a two-shot clubhouse lead over Thitikul, but the Thai player made birdie on the final hole for a 68 to force what became a lengthy playoff in hot, humid conditions.