Yamashita followed up her birthday celebration by claiming her first big title with victory in the Women’s Open Championship at Royal Porthcawl. She features a victory-clinching 2-under-par 70. Her performance, particularly on the back nine, was one for the ages. Her saving par putts down the stretch were critical to maintain a two-stroke advantage over Charley Hull, her nearest challenger.
When the last round began, Yamashita had a three-shot advantage on Hull. Drama reached a new level when Hull poured in an amazing 20-foot birdie putt on the 14th hole. This unreal make brought it back down to just a one shot deficit! However, even under all that pressure, Yamashita kept her cool and rolled in critical clutch puts of her own to help carry her to victory.
The turning point was when Yamashita made two big par saves on the back nine. These clutch putts were typically important as they helped her hold off Hull’s early 3rd round charge. Yamashita proved she could handle the pressure with her final par-saving putt. That key three-pointer was especially important with Hull’s impressive charge on her heels. She didn’t have a bogey until she had clinched her victory as the new champion.
Meanwhile, Hull faced challenges of her own. With a bogey occurring on the 17th, she closed her day on a score of 69. This remarkable showing earned her a share of second place, tying her with compatriot Minami Katsu who hails from Japan. It was a daunting challenge, and when Hull found herself in a deep pot bunker from the tee on the short 16th hole, things looked dire. She battled back and saved a bogey. Though she fought valiantly, her game was no match for the unflappable play of Yamashita.
Yamashita’s victory marks a significant achievement in her career and highlights the dominance of Japanese players in women’s golf. Having won here, they’ve now taken four of the last nine majors. Earlier this year, Mao Saigo won the Chevron Championship— cementing Japan’s foothold in the women’s game even deeper.
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