Malaysia’s Liyana Durisic battled through a testing third round at the Maybank Championship 2025, finishing with a 3-over-par score but maintaining her composure and optimism heading into the tournament’s final day at the West Course, Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club (KLGCC).
The 23-year-old, who earned her spot in the prestigious event through the local qualifier, started her round strongly before two costly double bogeys halted her momentum. Despite the setbacks, Liyana managed to stay mentally strong and finish with a birdie on the 18th hole.
“I started off really well and then made a tough double,” Liyana explained after her round. “But I made birdie on 18, so I crossed at 1-under. I felt really good about it, and then made a couple of mistakes here and there. I just couldn’t sink any more putts — it was just about making pars and taking it one hole at a time.”
Reflecting on the double bogeys, she shared candidly, “The first one came from a tough lie — I was short-sided. The second was after I went into the water and couldn’t make up and down. That’s just golf sometimes.”
Still, Liyana focused on the positives, emphasizing that her putting — a key strength this week — has remained consistent. “I started off really well, so that’s a good momentum builder. If I can just keep my head down tomorrow and make good decisions, I’ll be fine. My putting has been really good this week; I just need to get the ball on the green.”
Looking ahead to Sunday’s final round, Liyana plans to stick to a simple and steady approach. “Same thing — fairway, green, two putts. I’m not trying to do anything extra. Just the same game plan and making more good decisions,” she said confidently.
When asked about her mindset coming into the event following her recent victory at the Ladies Amateur, Liyana explained that her focus this week has been on enjoying the experience rather than chasing a specific result.
“I didn’t really have a specific goal in mind. It was more about enjoying the moment,” she said. “Last year, I felt like I was trying too hard and couldn’t really enjoy it because I was stressing about my game. This week, even though I haven’t played my best, I’ve been enjoying it — and I think that’s a win.”
Comparing her growth over the past year, Liyana acknowledged how much her game — and her mindset — have evolved. “Yes, definitely,” she smiled. “I’m still making some mistakes here and there, but my game has matured compared to last year. I’m not stressing too much about it anymore.”
Credit Photo : Maybank
