Green leads Aussie charge at LPGA Maybank Championship

Hannah Green has continued her form resurgence to lead another strong Australian charge at the LPGA Tour’s Maybank Championship in Malaysia.

Fresh off holing the winning putt for Australia at last week’s prestigious International Crown teams’ event in Seoul, Green is sitting just two shots off the pace after Thursday’s first round in Kuala Lumpur.

Green collected seven birdies in a six-under-par 66 to be tied for fourth behind South Korean pacesetter Hyi-Jin Choi (64) and Italian Benedetta Moresco (65) and Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh (65).

After missing five cuts in six starts, Green has really hit her straps during the Asian swing.

The 27-year-old former major champion tied for fifth two weeks at the BMW Ladies Championship before stepping up on Sunday at the showpiece match-play tournament to deliver Australia victory over the top-ranked USA team at New Korea Country Club.

But showing no emotional let-down four days later, Green rolled in four birdies on the front nine and three more on the back, with her lone dropped shot coming at the par-4 13th hole.

Green is one shot ahead of fellow Australian Karis Davidson, whose five-under 67 has the first-year rookie well placed in a tie for 10th.

One of Green’s triumphant Crown teammates and 2025 Evian Championship winner Grace Kim opened with a three-under 69 to also be in the mix.

Cassie Porter endured a horror finish for an even-par 72 is also, while Robyn Choi could only manage a two-over 74 start to the $US3 million ($A4.5 million) tournament.

Porter had moved to three under with a birdie at her penultimate hole, only to rack up a triple-bogey seven at the last.

With only three events remaining before the $US11 million ($A16.7 million) season-ending Tour Championship, this week is vital for Porter and Choi.

They sit 58th and 62nd respectively in the season-long point standings, with only the top 60 qualifying for the event in Florida.