Danielle Kang makes 18th (!) hole-in-one at Porthcawl in run-up to British Open qualifier
In fact, she traveled to the United Kingdom earlier this month to compete in the AIG Women's British Open pre-qualifier. Kang shot 1-under 70 to advance to Final Qualifying, which takes place July 28 at Pyle & Kenfig in Bridgend, Wales.
A minimum of three players will qualify for AIG at Royal Porthcawl, held July 30 to Aug. 3.
Kang, a six-time winner on the LPGA, notched her 17th ace during the opening round of the 2024 Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship.
It's been a tough stretch for the 2017 KPMG Women's PGA winner, who is currently ranked 507th in the world. Kang's best finish this season is a share of 54th at the ShopRite LPGA Classic.
Kang's best finish at a Women's British Open in 12 appearances is a share of 32nd in 2020.
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USA Today
29 minutes ago
- USA Today
Notable golfers who missed the cut at Women's British Open include the first-round leader
The afternoon wave got the brunt of the Welsh wind on Friday as scores soared. The cut line, which started at even, moved to 2 over as the day progressed at the 49th AIG Women's British Open. Billed as the largest women's sporting event ever stages in Wales, fans will miss out on seeing a number of big names this weekend in the LPGA's fifth and final major of the season. A total of 71 players made the cut. Who missed the cut at the AIG Women's British Open? Here's a list of notables and past champions who won't play the weekend at Porthcawl. A short miss on the 17th will likely linger with Brooke Henderson, who also failed to pick up a birdie on the closing par 5. An inward 40 put her at 76 for Friday's second round and a 3 over total. Henderson missed the cut in two majors this season and failed to finish in the top 30 in any of them. It's not often that a Round 1 leader goes on to miss the cut a major, but the JLPGA veteran heads home after a disastrous 81 on Friday. After opening the championship with a 67, Okayama said she was surprised by her position given how much she has struggled with a back injury of late and was limited in her practice. Swedish rookie Ingrid Lindblad was inside the top 30 going into the 11th hole and then the bottom fell out. A shocking 10 reduced Lindblad to tears on the green, according to the R&A radio. The 7-over 79 put Lindblad at 5 over for the tournament, three shots out of the cut line. Back-to-back 75s led to an early exit for Jennifer Kupcho, who won earlier this season at the ShopRite LPGA Classic for her fourth career title. Kupcho hadn't finished outside the top 25 until since then until this week. Kupcho hit only 12 fairways for the week. The world No. 4 struggled in her third Women's British appearance. After a share of second last year at the Old Course, Yin missed the cut by a mile in Wales. She hit only six fairways in a second-round 77. After a runner-up and share of fourth in the first two majors, she missed the weekend in the last two. Only two years ago, Lilia vu won two majors. Now she's struggling to make a cut. A second-round 77 for Vu gave her a fourth consecutive missed cut at the majors this season. After winning the AIG in 2023, she finished runner-up last year at the Old Course. An opening 78 was too much to overcome for the former No. 1 Jin Young Ko. Though she has a runner-up and a third in this championship, she's also missed the cut four times in seven starts. It's been a rough stretch for Maja Stark since winning the U.S. Women's Open. The Swede missed her third consecutive cut this week at the AIG. She has played the weekend only once since becoming a major winner, and that was the KPMG Women's PGA, where she broke her putter during the final round. The American broke through with her first LPGA title earlier this year at the Founders Cup. Noh carded only one birdie over the course of two rounds at Porthcawl and had four doubles. That's three consecutive missed cuts for Noh, but there was a huge highlight: She was recently engaged. For as much success as Green has had in recent years on the LPGA, it hasn't come at the majors. The 2019 KPMG Women's PGA winner hasn't had a top 10 in a major since 2022. After three top 10s to start the season, it's been an uphill fight for the Aussie since then. Green made two triples at Porthcawl, where she struggled off the tee. The Cinderella from the 2020 AIG Women's British Open has yet to make a cut in the championship since that magical run. Of course, much has happened since then, with Popov now a mom trying to balance it all. Popov carded back-to-back rounds of 82 to finish last. Past champions of the British Open are exempt until the age of 55.
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Japan's Miyu Yamashita and Rio Takeda pull away from the field at Women's British Open
PORTHCAWL, Wales (AP) — Miyu Yamashita started and finished with short birdie putts and was flawless in between as she posted a 7-under 65 on Friday to build a three-shot lead over Rio Takeda going into the weekend of the Women's British Open. The Japanese players, both among the top 15 in the women's world ranking, played in the same group at Royal Porthcawl and put on a show in the second round, matching great shots and big putts along the way that left the rest of the field far behind. Takeda was the only player within seven shots of Yamashita. Nelly Korda (72) and rising English star Lottie Woad (70) were among the top 10 on the leaderboard and still nine shots behind at the halfway point. Woad was on the cusp of contention until a triple bogey on the par-4 16th. 'There was a lot more good in it than bad,' Woad said. 'Played really well for 17 holes, just that one hole cost me a bit.' Yamashita was bogey-free and did most of her damage with four birdies in a five-hole stretch around the turn as she took advantage of an early start before stronger wind arrived. 'I didn't make any particular adjustments to my swing, but the wind was strong, so I think shots are important, as well as club selection and the direction I aim at the target,' Yamashita said. 'So things like that are important, so I played while keeping in mind the image I've been practicing so far.' Takeda, whose two LPGA titles include the Toto Japan Classic last year before she was a member, was slowed by a pair of bogeys. Takeda atoned for that with a superb approach into the par-5 ninth that settled within tap-in range for eagle. She shot 69. 'I was able to play calmly today, and I hope to focus on my game and play calmly again tomorrow,' Takeda said. Yamashita, who celebrates her 24th birthday on Saturday, was at 11-under 133. Chiara Tamburlini of Switzerland and Pajaree Anannarukarn of Thailand each shot 69 and were tied for third at 4-under 140, along with American Lindy Duncan (70). The cut was shaping up to be at 2-over 146. Brooke Henderson of Canada was right on the cut line until missing a 4-foot par putt on the windblown 17th, and then failing to make birdie on the par-5 closing hole. Also missing the cut were world No. 4 Ruoning Yin (77(, Rose Zhang (76) and U.S. Women's Open champion Maja Stark (78). Korda remains the No. 1 player in women's golf despite not winning this year, and she now faces a tall order with a nine-shot deficit for the last 36 holes. 'Honestly didn't really capitalize on anything in the calmer conditions on the front nine, then kind of got really windy on the back,' Korda said. 'Made a few more mistakes but bounced back with some birdies. Overall, I'm not going to complain with even par.' Woad made the best run at the Japanese duo until one swing and one nasty lie cost her. She had a 3-wood for her second shot into a strong wind on the par-4 16th. It sailed to the right into thick grass. Her first hack moved the golf ball only a few inches. She had to take a penalty shot for an unplayable lie, got that one on the green and two-putted for a triple bogey. She closed with two pars for a 70, a score that otherwise would seem satisfactory. 'I'd certainly take it now, but not when I was standing on the 16th tee,' Woad said with a smile. 'Yeah, just got to try to play well over the weekend. It's pretty packed, so I can move up a bit.' Everyone is chasing Yamashita, who led the Japan LPGA money list in 2022 and 2023 while winning five times in each of those seasons. She also finished one shot out of a playoff for the bronze medal in the Paris Olympics last year. For now, she is thinking only about keeping her rhythm in the wind. 'I haven't particularly worried about expected scores until now. I'm always thinking about competing for a high ranking in each tournament, and I just played with my day in mind,' Yamashita said. 'So I'm glad that my score and ranking worked out.'
Fox Sports
an hour ago
- Fox Sports
Japan's Miyu Yamashita and Rio Takeda pull away from the field at Women's British Open
Associated Press PORTHCAWL, Wales (AP) — Miyu Yamashita started and finished with short birdie putts and was flawless in between as she posted a 7-under 65 on Friday to build a three-shot lead over Rio Takeda going into the weekend of the Women's British Open. The Japanese players, both among the top 15 in the women's world ranking, played in the same group at Royal Porthcawl and put on a show in the second round, matching great shots and big putts along the way that left the rest of the field far behind. Takeda was the only player within seven shots of Yamashita. Nelly Korda (72) and rising English star Lottie Woad (70) were among the top 10 on the leaderboard and still nine shots behind at the halfway point. Woad was on the cusp of contention until a triple bogey on the par-4 16th. 'There was a lot more good in it than bad,' Woad said. 'Played really well for 17 holes, just that one hole cost me a bit.' Yamashita was bogey-free and did most of her damage with four birdies in a five-hole stretch around the turn as she took advantage of an early start before stronger wind arrived. 'I didn't make any particular adjustments to my swing, but the wind was strong, so I think shots are important, as well as club selection and the direction I aim at the target,' Yamashita said. 'So things like that are important, so I played while keeping in mind the image I've been practicing so far.' Takeda, whose two LPGA titles include the Toto Japan Classic last year before she was a member, was slowed by a pair of bogeys. Takeda atoned for that with a superb approach into the par-5 ninth that settled within tap-in range for eagle. She shot 69. 'I was able to play calmly today, and I hope to focus on my game and play calmly again tomorrow,' Takeda said. Yamashita, who celebrates her 24th birthday on Saturday, was at 11-under 133. Chiara Tamburlini of Switzerland and Pajaree Anannarukarn of Thailand each shot 69 and were tied for third at 4-under 140, along with American Lindy Duncan (70). The cut was shaping up to be at 2-over 146. Brooke Henderson of Canada was right on the cut line until missing a 4-foot par putt on the windblown 17th, and then failing to make birdie on the par-5 closing hole. Also missing the cut were world No. 4 Ruoning Yin (77(, Rose Zhang (76) and U.S. Women's Open champion Maja Stark (78). Korda remains the No. 1 player in women's golf despite not winning this year, and she now faces a tall order with a nine-shot deficit for the last 36 holes. 'Honestly didn't really capitalize on anything in the calmer conditions on the front nine, then kind of got really windy on the back,' Korda said. 'Made a few more mistakes but bounced back with some birdies. Overall, I'm not going to complain with even par.' Woad made the best run at the Japanese duo until one swing and one nasty lie cost her. She had a 3-wood for her second shot into a strong wind on the par-4 16th. It sailed to the right into thick grass. Her first hack moved the golf ball only a few inches. She had to take a penalty shot for an unplayable lie, got that one on the green and two-putted for a triple bogey. She closed with two pars for a 70, a score that otherwise would seem satisfactory. 'I'd certainly take it now, but not when I was standing on the 16th tee,' Woad said with a smile. 'Yeah, just got to try to play well over the weekend. It's pretty packed, so I can move up a bit.' Everyone is chasing Yamashita, who led the Japan LPGA money list in 2022 and 2023 while winning five times in each of those seasons. She also finished one shot out of a playoff for the bronze medal in the Paris Olympics last year. For now, she is thinking only about keeping her rhythm in the wind. 'I haven't particularly worried about expected scores until now. I'm always thinking about competing for a high ranking in each tournament, and I just played with my day in mind,' Yamashita said. 'So I'm glad that my score and ranking worked out.' ___ AP golf:
