Sweden's Maja Stark takes control in Malaysia at steamy Maybank Championship

A drawstring of 4 consecutive birdies midway done Maja Stark’s 2nd information gave nan 24-year-old Swede a slim lead astatine nan Maybank Championship successful steamy Malaysia. Stark posted a 2nd consecutive 6-under 66 to move to 12 nether for nan tournament, 1 changeable up of Marina Alex, Narin An, Wei-Ling Hsu and Haeran Ryu.

“I’ve been struggling a spot pinch my putting this full year,” said Stark, “but I consciousness for illustration I really had an easier clip seeing nan lines present than I usually do.”

With 3 top-10s this season, including back-to-back runner-up finishes astatine nan Chevron Championship and JM Eagle LA Championship past spring, Stark holds nan second-round lead for only nan 2nd clip successful her little LPGA career.

Maja Stark sits atop of nan leaderboard aft a information for nan first clip successful 337 days. pic.twitter.com/doBVa0Nvpi

— LPGA (@LPGA) October 25, 2024

Play astatine Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club was suspended connected Friday owed to vulnerable conditions astatine 2:10 p.m. section clip and resumed astatine 4:10 p.m.

“We ran up 18 because we saw nan clouds surrounding us,” said Stark, “and looking outside, I’m happy we did run.”

Rookie Gabi Ruffels carded a 66 to move into solo eighth. Ruffels is now 2 weeks into her first autumn Asian plaything arsenic an LPGA member. She has 4 apical 10s successful 21 starts this season.

“I consciousness for illustration astatine nan commencement of nan twelvemonth location were a batch of, I guess, one-week breaks and not a batch of I conjecture two-, three-week breaks. I consciousness for illustration it’s benignant of been a small spot amended towards nan 2nd half of nan year,” said Ruffels of her schedule.

“But I consciousness for illustration walking crossed Asia is ne'er easy arsenic well. I consciousness for illustration successful those moments you benignant of person to show yourself really fortunate you are to beryllium doing what you’re doing, and we get to beryllium successful Malaysia, Korea past week and Japan adjacent week. It’s beautiful cool what we do.

“You know, erstwhile times get reliable I conscionable punctual myself that we’re truthful lucky.”