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
