Latest news with #Saigo
The Star
06-08-2025
- Automotive
- The Star
Rising star Yamashita's AIG Women's Open win highlights dominant era for Japan in women's golf
Miyu Yamashita's victory at the AIG Women's Open makes her the fourth Japanese player to win a Major championship in the last two years. -- The R&A via Getty Images / LPGA PORTHCAWL, Mid Glamorgan, Wales: Miyu Yamashita's impressive victory at the AIG Women's Open reinforced Japan's emergence over the last few years as the pre-eminent force in women's golf. Yamashita's cool and composed two-shot triumph at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club made her the fourth Japanese player to win a Major championship in the last two years and the sixth overall, joining Mao Saigo (2025 Chevron Championship), Ayaka Furue (2024 Amundi Evian Championship), Yuka Saso (2024 US Women's Open), Hinako Shibuno (2019 AIG Women's Open) and the pioneering Hisako 'Chako' Higuchi (1977 LPGA Championship). With Saigo's Chevron Championship victory, Rio Takeda's triumph at the Blue Bay LPGA and Chisato Iwai claiming the MEXICO Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba title, Yamashita is the fourth Japanese winner on the 2025 LPGA Tour. The in-depth strength of women's golf is highlighted by the fact that Yamashita is the tour's ninth Rolex First-Time winner of 2025 and the 21st different champion. The 24-year-old is also the second player this season to make a Major championship their first victory, following Saigo. Following the AIG Women's Open, Yamashita overtook Takeda at the top of the 2025 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year rankings. Amazingly, the third and fourth-placed players in the rankings are also Japanese – Iwai and her twin sister, Akie. 'To have so many Japanese players doing so well at the moment is something that provides motivation for me and keeps me going. So great to see Saigo win earlier this year and that just kind of pushed me a little bit harder. "To join that elite group is something that's very special, and it's an amazing feeling,' said Yamashita, who has won 13 times on the Japan LPGA Tour and she was its leading money winner in 2022 and 2023. The LPGA Tour takes a one-week break before heading back to the United States for The Standard Portland Classic at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Oregon (August 14-17), where Thailand's Moriya Jutanugarn will seek to defend her title. - LPGA
The Sun
06-08-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Yamashita's AIG Women's Open win highlights dominant era for Japanese golf
MIYU YAMASHITA'S impressive victory at the AIG Women's Open reinforced Japan's emergence over the last few years as the pre-eminent force in women's golf. Yamashita's cool and composed two-shot triumph at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club made her the fourth Japanese player to win a Major championship in the last two years and the sixth overall, joining Mao Saigo (2025 Chevron Championship), Ayaka Furue (2024 Amundi Evian Championship),Yuka Saso (2024 U.S. Women's Open), Hinako Shibuno (2019 AIG Women's Open) and the pioneering Hisako 'Chako' Higuchi (1977 LPGA Championship). With Saigo's Chevron Championship victory, Rio Takeda's triumph at the Blue Bay LPGA andChisato Iwai claiming the MEXICO Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba title, Yamashita is the fourthJapanese winner on the 2025 LPGA Tour. The in-depth strength of women's golf is highlighted by the fact that Yamashita is the tour's ninthRolex First-Time winner of 2025 and the 21st different champion. The 24-year-old is the second player this season to make a Major championship their first victory, following Saigo. Following the AIG Women's Open, Yamashita overtook Takeda at the top of the 2025 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year rankings. Amazingly, the third and fourth-placed players are also Japanese – Iwai and her twin sister, Akie. 'To have so many Japanese players doing so well at the moment is something that provides motivation for me and keeps me going. So great to see Saigo win earlier this year and that just kind of pushed me a little bit harder. To join that elite group is something that's very special, and it's an amazing feeling,' said Yamashita.
The Sun
06-08-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Yamashita's AIG Women's Open victory marks new high for Japanese golf
MIYU YAMASHITA'S impressive victory at the AIG Women's Open reinforced Japan's emergence over the last few years as the pre-eminent force in women's golf. Yamashita's cool and composed two-shot triumph at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club made her the fourth Japanese player to win a Major championship in the last two years and the sixth overall, joining Mao Saigo (2025 Chevron Championship), Ayaka Furue (2024 Amundi Evian Championship),Yuka Saso (2024 U.S. Women's Open), Hinako Shibuno (2019 AIG Women's Open) and the pioneering Hisako 'Chako' Higuchi (1977 LPGA Championship). With Saigo's Chevron Championship victory, Rio Takeda's triumph at the Blue Bay LPGA andChisato Iwai claiming the MEXICO Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba title, Yamashita is the fourthJapanese winner on the 2025 LPGA Tour. The in-depth strength of women's golf is highlighted by the fact that Yamashita is the tour's ninthRolex First-Time winner of 2025 and the 21st different champion. The 24-year-old is the second player this season to make a Major championship their first victory, following Saigo. Following the AIG Women's Open, Yamashita overtook Takeda at the top of the 2025 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year rankings. Amazingly, the third and fourth-placed players are also Japanese – Iwai and her twin sister, Akie. 'To have so many Japanese players doing so well at the moment is something that provides motivation for me and keeps me going. So great to see Saigo win earlier this year and that just kind of pushed me a little bit harder. To join that elite group is something that's very special, and it's an amazing feeling,' said Yamashita.
USA Today
30-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
LPGA's 2025 Player of the Year race is stacked with names who have never won it
World No. 1 Nelly Korda claimed the award last season when she won seven times but she is winless thus far in 2025. After a year in which Nelly Korda blew away the competition for LPGA Player of the Year honors, the pendulum has swung into a wide-open race. With no repeat winners midway through the 2025 season, Japan's Mao Saigo leads the tour with 88 points, five in front of Australia's Minjee Lee. Jeeno Thitikul, who leads the tour in top-10 finishes with seven, sits alone in third with 80 points. Saigo won the Chevron Championship in a five-way playoff and has four additional top-10 finishes. Lee won her third different career major title at the KPMG Women's PGA and has three additional top 10s. World No. 1 Korda won seven times last season but is winless thus far in 2025. She's currently 42 points behind Saigo in 12th place. No one ahead of Korda has previously won the award. Ayako Okamoto (1987) is the only Japanese player to win the LPGA's POY since its inception in 1966. Last year, Saigo became the second Japanese player to win Rookie of the Year honors. Japan's Rio Takeda currently leads the ROY race and is fourth on the POY list, 20 points behind her compatriot. Players must finish in the top 10 to earn POY points and points are doubled at majors. A victory at a regular LPGA event is worth 30 points and a runner-up is worth 12. Rolex Player of the Year candidates for 2026
Kyodo News
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Kyodo News
Golf: Mao Saigo sinks rare albatross, moves up to 2nd at LPGA Classic
KYODO NEWS - Jun 8, 2025 - 13:13 | Sports, All Japanese golfer Mao Saigo scored a rare albatross Saturday on her way to a 6-under-par 65 that will see her tee off the final round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic trailing leader Lee Il Hee of South Korea by one stroke. The 23-year-old Saigo, a major winner at April's Chevron Championship, added to her highlight reel when she holed out with her second shot from 214 yards on the par-5 3rd hole at Seaview's Bay Course. She also had five birdies and a pair of bogeys to finish the second round of the 54-hole tournament tied for second at 10 under with compatriot Ayaka Furue, as well as Americans Jennifer Kupcho and Elizabeth Szokol. "I wasn't that accurate with my irons and off the tee, but I'm happy with my score," said Saigo, who already has four top-10 finishes in her brief LPGA career. "I didn't think the albatross was going in." Furue had five birdies in a bogey-free round of 66, while Lee followed her opening 63 with a 68. Japan's Miyu Yamashita and Chisato Iwai, who secured her first LPGA win at last month's Mexico Riviera Maya Open, both shot 66 to join four others tied for sixth at 8 under. Related coverage: Golf: Takeda finishes 2nd as Stark wins U.S. Women's Open Golf: Chisato Iwai wins 1st U.S. tour title in Mexico
