Miyu Yamashita Fends Off Charley Hull for Women's Open Win
If you haven't noticed, Japan is on quite a roll


Royal Porthcawl delivered a stern test for the best women in the world at the 2025 AIG Women’s Open, one that 24-year-old Miyu Yamashita passed with flying colors. The LPGA rookie was steady as can be on her way to an 11-under finish that topped Charley Hull and Minami Katsu by two. Her lack of power off the tee never cost her as she managed to hit 78% of greens in regulation, oftentimes with lumber in hand. That's an incredible feat at any golf course with short irons into greens. Combined with a blustery and well-bunkered Royal Porthcawl, Yamashita's GIR percentage is staggeringly impressive.
It quickly became apparent on Sunday that she was wholly unfazed by the task of capturing her first major. Her lone bogey of the day came on the 17th when the win was all but wrapped up. A comfortable lead allowed her to play the par-5 18th with margin for error, and the first crack of emotion finally showed as her winning par putt dropped.
That comfortable lead for Yamashita began on Friday when she first took control of the championship. By midday she had rocketed to the top of the leaderboard with a bogey-free 65. Taking advantage of the easier side of the draw, her lead stretched as the day went on and ended with just one player within six strokes to start the weekend. A shaky 2-over 74 on Saturday brought a handful of players into the fold with a chance to surpass her on Sunday.
Charley Hull made the most of that chance. Comfortable playing the role of chaser and riding high after a Saturday 66, Hull came out of the gates with a front-nine 33. Things got really interesting when she reached 11 under with a birdie on the 14th, nearly closing the gap to Yamashita completely. Back-to-back bogeys on the demanding 16th and 17th holes slammed the brakes on her chase and ruined the dream of a signature win. The Sunday run turned the excitement up a few notches, especially for the pro-Charley crowds. The Welsh fans did their best to help Hull get it over the line, but it ended up being her fourth runner-up finish in a major. The hunt for a career-defining win carries on. Yamashita's victory gives Japan bookend majors for the year, adding to Mao Saigo's Chevron Championship win this spring. Going back to Yuka Saso and Ayaka Furue's major triumphs last year, that's four of the last nine for Japan.
Yamashita, like many of the other Japanese talents, cut her teeth for years on the JLPGA where she won 13 times. A rookie in name only, she is the latest in what's quickly become a golden age for Japanese golf. They very well could have more majors to their name with a flurry of top-five finishes the past two years. With the likes of Rio Takeda, Chisato and Akie Iwai, and more that haven't even made the transition to the LPGA Tour yet, Japan’s dominance may have only just begun.

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