Miyu Yamashita holds off Charley Hull to win first major at Women's Open

Independent

2 days ago

Japan's Miyu Yamashita held off a strong challenge from Charley Hull to win the AIG Women's Open by two shots on Sunday.
Yamashita, who began the day leading by one from Kim A-lim, carded a steady final-round 70 in blustery conditions to land her first major title with an 11-under-par total of 277 at Royal Porthcawl.
Hull, three strokes behind on six under overnight, emerged as the closest challenger as she picked up five birdies in a stretch of 10 holes either side of the turn.
That twice took the Englishwoman within one shot of the lead but Yamashita, who put herself in a position of strength with three birdies on the front nine, was always able to keep herself in front.
A key period came as Yamashita overcame a nervy missed birdie putt to save par on the 14th by holing from an awkward distance.
At around the same time Hull, playing two groups ahead, dropped a shot at the par-four 16th after visiting a bunker and the rough before underhitting a chip.
It might have been worse but for holing a lengthy putt to escape with a bogey, but another shot was given away on the following hole.
That saw Yamashita's lead increase to three and allowed her to finish in relative comfort, with a bogey on the 17th the only blemish on her card.
Hull ended joint-second on nine under – her fourth runner-up finish in a major – alongside Minami Katsu of Japan, who birdied the last to shoot 69.
Kim's challenge faded with a round that featured six bogeys but the 2020 US Women's Open winner managed to claw her way back into a share of fourth place on seven under with a birdie on the last. Another Japanese player, Rio Takeda, was alongside her after a 71.
Lottie Woad, winner of the Scottish Open last week on her professional debut, overcame bogeys on her first two holes to shoot 71 and finish in a tie for eighth place on four under.
Another Englishwoman, Mimi Rhodes, had a moment to savour with a remarkable hole-in-one on the par-three fifth, thanks to a fortunate ricochet off playing partner Stephanie Kyriacou's ball.
Australian Kyriacou, who made a hole-in-one herself in the second round, played first and went close to another ace with a shot that came to rest inches from the cup.
Rhodes then played a very similar shot and, luckily for her, Kyriacou's ball was handily placed for it to deflect in off.
That was the undoubted highlight of a 74 that saw Rhodes finish alongside Georgia Hall, who shot 75, on one under.