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NBC Sports
05-08-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Almost forced to withdraw, Rianne Malixi among early leaders in U.S. Women's Amateur defense
A dozen players have won consecutive U.S. Women's Amateur trophies, though the last to do so, Danielle Kang, won her second of back-to-back titles 14 years ago. Rianne Malixi could add herself to that list Sunday at Bandon Dunes. Malixi, the Philippines star who won not only last year's U.S. Women's Amateur at Southern Hills but also the U.S. Girls' Junior a few weeks prior, opened her title defense of the former with a 4-under 68 Monday on Bandon's namesake layout on the Oregon coast. Malixi's first-round score was matched by fellow co-leaders, Arizona's Julia Misemer and Texas' Cindy Hsu. Malixi's defense almost was over before it started. She had been awaiting approval of her student visa – the 18-year-old will start her college career at Duke later this month – when a typhoon delayed an already lengthy process. 'Worst-case scenario, I am not going to play,' Malixi said. 'The best-case scenario is I might miss the practice rounds and head straight to the first round. Then, boom, I got a notification that my passport is ready and visa was ready.' She picked up her documents six hours before her flight last Thursday from the Philippines to Portland, Oregon. She arrived at Bandon on Saturday afternoon and was able to sneak in nine holes before getting in a full 18 on Sunday. Malixi is competing in her first amateur event since the Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific in early March, when she made it through just five holes before withdrawing with what Malixi described as a back strain. Later in March, Malixi withdrew from the Augusta National Women's Amateur on the eve of the first round after her ailing back limited her to about 40-50% in the practice round. She immediately shut it down for three weeks, traveling to Australia to see her physical therapist and also visiting a chiropractor. 'I was very mis-aligned, and hitting 400 balls a day made it worse, so I had to rest,' Malixi said. She didn't compete again until the U.S. Women's Open in late May at Erin Hills, where she shot 79-78 to miss the cut. She also missed cuts in her other two starts this summer, at the JLPGA's Ai Miyazato Suntory Ladies Open (76-72) and Amundi Evian Championship (74-72). It was fair to say that Monday's opening round by the third-ranked amateur was a pleasant surprise. 'To be honest, I haven't been feeling 100% lately,' Malixi said. 'I played a couple of majors, Evian and U.S. Women's Open, but I didn't play well. I am just happy enough to be playing 18 holes and 36 holes a couple of days ago. I haven't been shooting well, but today was eye-opening for me.' Malixi didn't record a bogey while adding short birdie makes at Nos. 3, 9 and 13, plus a 25-foot birdie conversion at No. 17. Malixi estimated she hit three drives into fairway bunkers where she had to lay up on par-4s before wedging close with her third shots to set up stress-free pars. The player whom Malixi beat in both USGA finals last year, 16-year-old Asterisk Talley, was among those at 3 under, along with Wake Forest grad and current Golf Channel on-course reporter Emilia Doran, Texas A&M incoming freshman Scarlett Schremmer, Auburn's Anna Davis and N.C. State grad Lauren Olivares, who in 2023 became the first player in NCAA women's golf history to shoot 60. Talley is fresh off a victory at the Girls Junior PGA Championship in Indiana. Malixi's fellow Duke newcomer, Avery McCrery, was part of a large group at 2 under. Princeton's Catherine Rao also carded 70, though she turned in 6 under before coming in with a birdie-less 40 on the back nine. World No. 1 amateur Kiara Romero shot 1 under, as did reigning U.S. Girls' Junior champ Aphrodite Deng.
USA Today
03-08-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Japan's golden era is here: Miyu Yamashita wins first major at AIG Women's British Open
As golf's major season comes to end, the LPGA's historic march of champions rolls on. One day after Japan's Miyu Yamashita celebrated her 24th birthday, the petite Japanese star gave herself what she surely wanted most: a major victory. Yamashita becomes the tour's 21st different winner this season, closing with a 2-under 70 to finish at 11 under and edge out English sensation Charley Hull and compatriot Minami Katsu by two strokes at the 2025 AIG Women's British Open. The record number of champions to this point in the season stands in stark contrast to 2024, when Nelly Korda won seven times and Lydia Ko played her way into the LPGA Hall of Fame. From dominance to diversity, Yamashita becomes the fourth rookie to win on tour this season. 'To win such an historic tournament in front of all these amazing fans is such an incredible feeling,' said Yamashita with the aid of an interpreter. A 13-time winner on the JLPGA, Yamashita is a rookie on the LPGA in name only given her vast success on home soil, including three majors on that tour. She came into the Women's British Open ranked 15th in the world. She leaves with a trophy and a big payday. The first-place prize this year was $1,462,500 out of a record total purse of $9,750,000. The week began with England's newest star Lottie Woad the bookmakers' betting favorite in only her second professional start. A late triple-bogey on Friday halted Woad's bid to win two in a row, but a top-10 finish for a second straight year in this championship is a fine showing, given her recent whirlwind stretch. 'Just walking out from the first tee, I got a loud cheer,' said Woad, 'and I could tell everyone was rooting for me. That was nice.' Woad ultimately took a share of eighth. Yamashita's good fortune started with the pairings, when she found herself grouped with good friend and compatriot Rio Takeda for the first two rounds, a rare opportunity on the LPGA. That comfortable pairing along with the luck of the draw in weather going off late/early in the first two rounds, helped her build a three-shot lead heading into the weekend. On Saturday, however, the straight player with the sweet short game suddenly turned crooked and her putter went ice cold, taking 34 putts. NBC booth analyst Morgan Pressel summed it up best as Yamashita limped home at Royal Porthcawl: "Almost everything has gone wrong for Miyu Yamashita, and she's still in the lead." She stayed on the range late Saturday evening with her father trying to straighten out a two-way miss. Billed as the biggest women's sporting event ever staged in Wales, the crowds were strong all week, even when the weather started out rough on Sunday with rain, wind and cold keeping the early-goers from making much of a move. Perhaps it was Yamashita's cheery yellow sweater that coaxed out the sun late in the afternoon as the leaders made their way along the coast. Stanford's Paula Martin Sampedro showed what was possible down the stretch at Porthcawl, as she put an exclamation point on her week in Wales with a back-nine 30 that included five consecutive birdies. It marked the lowest inward nine for the week by two strokes. The Spaniard, who played alongside two-time Smyth Salver winner Lydia Ko, closed with a 4-under 68 to zoom up the board and cap a summer that included victories at the British Women's Amateur and European Ladies' Amateur Championship in Germany. South Korea's A Lim Kim entered the final round one back and was the only player on the board who'd previously won a major, the 2020 U.S. Women's Open. The powerful, aggressive Kim looked timid in back-to-back bogeys on the third and fourth holes and never posed a serious threat down the stretch. Yamashita, meanwhile, played the first four holes better than most, picking up three strokes on the field with superior scrambling. Whatever ailed her game on Saturday had disappeared. The always-entertaining Hull was 11 back to start the third round and pulled within one of Yamashita, much to the delight of the home crowd. One of the most popular players in the game, Hull came into the week with lower than usual expectations given that she was carted off on a stretcher after fainting several times during the first round of the Amundi Evian Championship three weeks ago in France. The mystery virus caused her to lose both weight and swing speed as she took time off from the gym. Hull also tweaked her back getting something out of her car. For a player who has long been honest about her disklike of links golf, Hull certainly took to Porthcawl and the chance to chase. 'I like hunting someone down,' she said. As the fast-walking, fast-talking Hull electrified crowds with a rare birdie on the most difficult 14th, Yamashita stayed steady, pouring in par putts to keep her advantage. Hull's chances began to wane after back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 16 and 17 as Yamashita's lead ballooned to three strokes with three to play. Once again, the 4-foot-11-inch rookie towered over the field. Yamashita, who leads the tour in scrambling and bogey-free rounds, dropped a shot on the 17th but, after Hull failed to make birdie on the closing par 5, headed to the 72nd hole with a two-stroke cushion. Her two-stroke victory gives Japan bookend titles at the majors, with Mao Saigo winning the first at the Chevron Championship, and four titles on the season from four Japanese different winners. Japan's golden era has only just begun.
USA Today
01-08-2025
- Sport
- 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.
CBS News
17-07-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Bear roaming golf course halts play at tournament for second time in 2 months in Japan
A bear sighting on Wednesday prompted organizers of a golf tournament in Japan to cancel the opening day, marking the second time an ursine invader has halted play in the last two months. The bear was spotted in the morning near the first tee at the Meiji Yasuda Ladies tournament at Sendai Classic Golf Club in northern Japan on the professional JLPGA Tour. The pro-am competition scheduled for the same day was canceled, with organizers later deciding to scrap Thursday's opening day of the tournament. Organizers said they would decide later whether to play or cancel the rest of the competition, which has a total prize money of $670,000. "On Wednesday, a bear sighting on the course was reported and the pro-am tournament was cancelled to protect the safety of the participants, players and staff," said a statement on the tournament website. "To ensure safety and to consider future measures, we have decided to cancel Thursday's opening day," the statement continued. "We will announce details of the tournament from Friday onwards as soon as they have been decided." In May, the final round of the Twinfield Ladies on the women's second-tier Step Up tour in central Japan was cancelled after a bear was spotted on the course. The following month, a bear roaming the runway forced a Japanese airport to cancel flights and declare itself off-limits to passengers for the day. Human encounters with bears reached record levels in Japan last year, with 219 people attacked and six deaths in the 12 months to April 2024. Climate change affecting food sources and hibernation times is a key factor, but as Japan's aging population shrinks, humans are leaving rural areas, and that is also leaving room for bears to move in. "Then that area recovered to the forest, so bears have a chance to expand their range," biologist Koji Yamazaki, from Tokyo University of Agriculture, told CBS News' Elizabeth Palmer in 2023. Japan is one of the only places on the planet where a large mammal species has been reclaiming habitat — which is good news for the bears, but if, as biologists suspect, the bear population is growing, the country will have to figure out new ways to protect people, and vital infrastructure like airports, from the animals. Japan's government in February approved a bill allowing hunters to shoot bears in populated areas. In December, a bear that rampaged through a Japanese supermarket for two days was lured out with food coated in honey. Police said the animal was trapped and later killed.
The Mainichi
16-07-2025
- Sport
- The Mainichi
Golf: Bear sighting forces cancellation of round in Japan LPGA event
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A bear was spotted on a golf course in northeastern Japan's Miyagi Prefecture on Wednesday, prompting organizers of a women's tournament to cancel Thursday's round. According to the Japan Ladies Professional Golfers' Association, it is "the first time on record" that a round on the top-tier JLPGA Tour has been canceled due to a bear sighting. Wednesday's Pro-Am round was cut short as players and organizing staff had to evacuate the course at Sendai Classic Golf Club in Tomiya, near Sendai. The Meiji Yasuda Ladies tournament was originally scheduled for four days from Thursday. Organizers will decide on Thursday whether the event can proceed. About 120 golfers are registered to take part. "We're inspecting the situation around the course," a JLPGA public relations official said. "We'll make a decision after checking for signs of the bear." In late May, a bear sighting in Ishikawa Prefecture forced the cancellation of the final round of another women's golf tournament, on the second-tier Step Up Tour due to safety concerns.
