Liyana Durisic targets stronger mental game after securing third Maybank Championship appearance
KUALA LUMPUR: National professional golfer Liyana Azizan Durisic is keen to strengthen her mental game after qualifying for the 2026 Maybank Championship in October.
The 25-year-old expresses her objective after finishing fifth in the Asean qualifiers held in Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club in Bukit Kiara yesterday.
“I can say my nerve is still my problem because it still fluctuate a lot. If my mind keeps steady, I think my performance will be fine. “I have never been so happy for a fifth place before. I am also relief because I do not have to go for playoff because it can give more stress,” she told the reporters.
As part of her efforts to strengthen her mental game, Liyana has been working under the guidance of a mental health coach to improve her focus during competition. The approach appears to be paying off as Liyana grabs the last spot in the Asean qualifier for this year’s Maybank Championship with a total score of 143 securing her place in the tournament for the third time.
The qualifier once again saw the dominance of the Thai players, with Sarisa Pojanalai finishing at the top, followed by Achiraya Sriwong, Pimnipa Panthong and Marisa Tojai. Qualifying for this year’s tournament holds special significance for Liyana, who is set to make her third appearance at the event with renewed ambitions.
“Maybe I will come with different mindset because my goal is still to have fun. I am still not on the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) stage yet. This is just giving me a glimpse into that.
“If I able to keep my nerve the entire time, I think I could have the chance to play almost as good as most of the other competitors,” she added.
In the previous edition, Liyana finished the tournament in 72nd place with a score of 292, four over par and will be determined to improve the performance this year. The 2026 Maybank Championship 2026 is scheduled to take place from Oct 29 to Nov 1 at the West Course of KLGCC with prize pool worth US$3million (RM12.3m).
