Japan’s Miyu Yamashita keeps her cool to win Women’s British Open for first Major

PORTHCAWL – Miyu Yamashita won the Women’s British Open by two shots on Aug 3 after keeping Charley Hull and Minami Katsu at bay for the first Major of her career.

The 24-year-old is the fourth women’s Major winner from Japan in the last two years, joining Mao Saigo (2025 Chevron Championship), Ayaka Furue (2024 Evian Championship) and Yuka Saso (2024 US Women’s Open).

Before that, Japan had only two Major champions in LPGA Tour history – Hinako Shibuno (2019 Women’s British Open) and Hisako Higuchi (1977 LPGA Championship).

Carding a two-under 70 in the final round, Yamashita finished on 11-under 277 overall at Royal Porthcawl to claim the top prize of US$1,462,500 (S$1,883,900).

After sinking three birdies on the front nine, she showed great composure to overcome her first bogey of the day on the par-four 17th. In a nervy finish, she found the rough with her first two shots on the final hole, but avoided the bunkers to land her third shot on the green.

She missed her birdie putt by inches but made par to spark wild celebrations as she held back tears of joy before being drenched in champagne by her compatriots.

“To win such a historic tournament in front of all these amazing fans is such an incredible feeling and to have my family around me, to have so much support from everyone here, it’s just been amazing,” Yamashita said through an interpreter.

“Being my first Major win as well is something that’s very special and to celebrate with everyone is just an amazing feeling.”

Her previous best performance in a Major was a tie for second place at the 2024 Women’s PGA Championship.

Hull mounted a spirited challenge with five birdies that brought her to within one shot of Yamashita. However, the 29-year-old Briton’s title hopes crumbled with back-to-back bogeys on the 16th and 17th, while a missed birdie putt on the 18th sealed her fate.

Katsu tied for second with four birdies, offset by a bogey on the second, to finish with a final-round 69.

Yamashita had struggled with a stuttering 74 in the third round, which saw her lead trimmed to just a single stroke. But she sent out an early warning with a 15-foot birdie putt on the fourth hole, following it up with back-to-back birdies before the turn.

She saved par with a long putt on the 13th after finding a bunker and nearly became the only golfer at the event to go without a bogey on the final day until the 17th hole.

“I felt the pressure, but I decided to just stick to what I’d decided beforehand,” she said. “That helped me make some long par putts, and I was able to hang in there on the 15th and 16th holes.”

Hull, meanwhile, had been 11 off the halfway lead, but clawed her way back over the last two rounds to give the local crowd a glimmer of hope as she moved just one stroke behind the leader.

The crowd erupted when she made a birdie putt on the 14th but that was her last of the day as she recorded back-to-back bogeys.

She looked visibly emotional after missing a short putt for par on the 17th and acknowledged the polite applause on the 18th, knowing she had let a slender chance at the title slip through her fingers.

“It was a bit unfortunate, but I felt like I was very much in control of my game today. I don’t feel like I mishit any shots out there. I hit it pretty pure today,” Hull said.

Singapore’s Shannon Tan, who was joint-67th after a third-round 78, completed her final round with a 70 to finish on five-over 293. The 21-year-old racked up five birdies, which were offset by three bogeys, to finish tied-40th, her best placing in four Major appearances.

The shot of the day came from Mimi Rhodes when she made a hole-in-one on the fifth, with her tee shot hitting Australian Steph Kyriacou’s ball near the hole before dropping into the cup.

“I had no idea it hit Steph’s ball until I just saw the video, so that’s unbelievable,” said the 24-year-old Briton. REUTERS, AFP, KYODO NEWS