Heading into the week, foreign players had taken each of the previous eight LPGA Tour major championships, including three from Japan.
At the AIG Women’s Open on Sunday, rookie Miyu Yamashita continued the trend.
A day after celebrating her 24th birthday, Yamashita carded a 2-under-par 70 at Royal Porthcawl in Wales to finish at 11-under 277 for the tournament to record her first victory on tour and become the sixth-ever major champion from Japan — and the fourth in two years.
“To win such a historic tournament in front of all these amazing fans is such an incredible feeling,” Yamashita said after the round, “and to have my family around me to have so much support from everyone here is just amazing. To be part of such a moment in history is something very, very special.”
The Osaka native finished two shots clear of Japan’s Minami Katsu and England’s Charley Hull, who both carded 69s.
Yamashita became the second player this season to make a major championship her first win and joined Hinako Shibuno (2019) to win the AIG Women’s Open.
“Being my first win as well is something that’s very special,” Yamashita said, “and to celebrate with everyone is just an amazing feeling.”
Yamashita has certainly made the most of her first season on tour. In addition to Sunday’s victory, she has made 13 other cuts in 15 starts with six top-10 finishes, including two in major championships. With 840 points, Yamashita sits 68 back of fellow countrywoman Rio Takeda for the LPGA’s Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award.
The leader since Friday, Yamashita was bogey-free until the par-4 17th. Fortunately, she already enjoyed some cushion from Hull. After closing to within a shot with a 20-foot birdie putt on the 14th, Hull found a pot bunker off the tee at 16 en route to a bogey. She carded another on the 17th that set the stage for Yamashita, whose made par on the 18th to secure the win.
“It was a bit unfortunate, but I felt like I was very much in control of my game today,” Hull said. “I don’t feel like I mis-hit any shots out there. I hit it pretty pure today.”
Hull added that she was unsure if she was going to even make the cut this week, noting that she was not hitting the ball well — especially after collapsing several times during July’s Evian Championship. She conceded that she “still wasn’t feeling well” until Sunday leading up to the AIG Women’s Open.
“So I think I done pretty well,” Hull said, “and considering my mindset coming into it, I’m pretty proud of myself.”
Takeda, who carded a 1-under 71 on Sunday to finish at 7 under for the tournament, shared fourth place with South Korea’s A Lim Kim, who shot a 73.
Chinese Taipei’s Wei-Ling Hsu and American Megan Khan each finished at 6 under, while Spanish amateur Paula Martin Sampedro, Australia’s Stephanie Kyriacou and England’s Lottie Woad — who won last week’s Women’s Scottish Open in her first professional tournament — rounded out the top 10 at 4 under.
–Field Level Media
