MAYBANK CHAMPIONSHIP

October 27, 2026

Hannah Green

Lydia Ko

Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club

Press Conference

ANNIKA MAYERS: All right, joining us ahead of the 2026 Maybank Championship are Hannah Green and Lydia Ko. We're coming to the end of the season. I know the Asian Swing is always a really exciting time.

Can you guys just talk about returning to Malaysia and competing here this year?

HANNAH GREEN: Yeah, I haven't actually played much tournament golf in the last couple months. I've been back in Australia resting and kind of getting ready for this Asia Swing and obviously the final, CME.

So yeah, looking forward to coming back and playing.

Malaysia almost feels like somewhat of a home event as it's very close to Perth where I live in Australia, and also there are a lot of Australians this come up and watch.

Yeah, had some really good results here the last couple years, so hopefully I can use that history and kind of experience to perform well again this year.

LYDIA KO: Yeah, I'm super excited to be back here. This is probably one of my favorite ones in Asia. Just really like the golf course. It is pretty hot, so I'm just trying to manage the heat a little bit.

In ways it's nice. You kind of try and do quality practice, keep it pretty short in the practice facility. Yeah, excited for a fun week.

This is the only one that I'm playing in Asia in the fall, so hopefully I'll be able to have some good form going into our Tour Championship as well.

ANNIKA MAYERS: This tournament is known for having huge crowds. How much does that fuel you on the golf course with so many fans cheering you on?

HANNAH GREEN: Yeah, it's one of those golf courses where sometimes you actually don't see where the result finishes, so it's kind of nice when you do have spectators to be able to know that you hit a good, quality shot.

Yeah, the crowds are great. They're very committed to the women's game. I do feel like some of the best crowds we have all year are here in Malaysia. I guess the locals are probably used to the heat, but to see so many people that aren't come and still watch us is very impressive.

Yeah, it's a tough walk here at KLGCC, so hopefully the more the merrier.

LYDIA KO: Yeah, same as what Hannah said. I don't know if I like anyone enough outside of my family to like be out in the sun for five hours and follow. I think that's just how dedicated they are in supporting the LPGA and women's sport in general.

I think there is a lot -- a few Malaysian players here, which I think is really exciting. One of the top names being Natasha playing on the LPGA as well. Yeah, I think there is a great step for growth in golf in Malaysia.

Hopefully we will be able to inspire the future generations to want to play in this event or any LPGA event in the future.

ANNIKA MAYERS: Questions in the room.

Q. Which aspect of the West Course in KLGCC do you feel challenges your game?

HANNAH GREEN: I'm not notoriously known for hitting a lot of fairways when it comes to playing golf, so I feel like here there is a bit of thought. It's not always driver that you hit. Kind of those last four or five holes you have a bit of strategy, whether you take on the water, take on some bunkers; there is some force carries and have to keep it short of the bunkers.

So there is some strategy in a sense of the last few holes depending if we do get any wind or how far the ball is flying. So I think I have been able to perform well here before because I don't have to hit driver all the time, which sometimes can be my nemesis.

But it is challenging. This is probably one of the events where you have to go super low in order have the trophy in your hands, so just trying to keep up sometimes can be quite challenging. Probably more of a mental grind with some of us not being used to the heat.

So, yeah, it does challenge all aspects of your game.

LYDIA KO: It's a very different golf course to the East Course. I played that for the other events when we were here before. I think this one is a little bit more fun. Like Hannah said, the last few holes, depending on how you strategize your play and how aggressive you want to be, it can play very differently.

But it is I think a very fair golf course. Sometimes you kind of think short holes is like an automatic birdie opportunity, but I think you can really put yourself in position and out of position just straight off the tee, so I think hitting those crucial hybrids or woods is going to be really important.

But, yeah, I think nothing is unfair here. For the most part the greens are -- have a bit of slope but doesn't really get out of hand. I think that's why also the scores are fairly low.

But I think that's why I like this golf course, is that everything is kind of in front of and you it's not tricked up in any way. You just have to kind of have a plan and stick to it and hope that that's the right way for you to play that day.

Q. Hannah, you finished second last year. Are you motivated to win this year?

HANNAH GREEN: Yeah, definitely. Like I said before, I feel like I have a lot of Australians that come out and watch me, so it's nice to have their support.

Again, I tend to perform well at venues where I've had success before and perhaps I haven't had the trophy in my hands, but I've had good results here. So I think having the last couple months back Australia I'm in a really good headspace. I feel refreshed and to hopefully ready to grind the next few weeks for the last few events that I'll play for my season.

Yeah, hopefully I can use last year's result and do one better.

Q. My question is for Hannah. Do you feel there is a sense of unfinished business? You did lose in a playoff, right? Or are you coming in here with a clean slate?

HANNAH GREEN: Yeah, there is probably a little bit of that aspect, but I feel like last year on the 72nd hole I got very lucky. I hit the cart path and ended up having an iron into the last hole. Perhaps in the playoff I got a bit unlucky being plugged in the bunker face, but I feel like that's golf. It's a game of millimeters.

Yes, I do feel like it was maybe tough luck on the last hole, but I also was very lucky to put myself in position on that 72nd hole as well.

I do hope I can play like I did last year. I felt like everything felt very easygoing, which is always really nice to be in that flow state on the golf course. Hopefully I can use those moments when did I have good holes or holed certain putts or whatever it may be to try and play well again this year.

Q. Question for Lydia: How do you select which tournaments to play when it comes to -- especially when you have to travel quite a bit?

LYDIA KO: Obviously during major season you try and plan do you want to play the week before the major, do you want some time at home before that event to prepare and have some time off?

For me, I try and have a little bit of a break before a major, but then still have some sort of like competitive play so I don't feel super rusty going into that week.

Like for me this year, I felt like the U.S. Women's Open was kind of the key event of the season, and originally I was going to take four weeks off before that event. Then I thought I wanted to play a little bit more, so I played and then had our natural week off and then took the week before the U.S. Women's Open off.

So you can kind of do things that you think is right, but if it doesn't work, I think in the end you realize like there is no perfect way to do it. There is no one way to do it.

Sometimes I just have to see how I'm feeling. Am I tired? Am I not? If I'm playing well, do I want to keep playing and kind of be in this kind of good momentum, or do I just want like a well deserved break as well?

I think it can go any way. I felt like I wanted a little bit of a break before heading into the Asia Swing. That's why I did have three weeks off before this one.

But, you know, I'm also at the point in my career where I'm thankfully able to kind of pick and choose which events I want to play. I've always had a lot of great memories here. The fans have been super supportive.

So this was always like one that I wanted to play this fall. Yeah, I think I've done it over ten different ways on my preparation. Sometimes it works; sometimes I felt under-prepared and I've played well.

So I think that's kind of the name of the game. Golf can throw you a lot of things by surprise, but you just kind of have to play with what you have that day. It's honestly a reset the day after.

So I think being on Tour long enough you end up realizing that like sometimes things are really out of your control. So you just try and do a good job with the process and what you can control and the rest is out of your hands.