Miyu Yamashita held off an impressive final-round charge from Charley Hull to claim a maiden major title with a two-stroke victory at the AIG Women’s Open.
Yamashita took a one-shot lead into the final day and never relinquished top spot at a windy Royal Porthcawl, despite Hull briefly threatening the biggest 36-hole comeback in women’s major history after a sensational birdie run.
Hull was 11 off the halfway lead but found herself within one when she raced to the turn in 33 and added two more birdies on her back nine, having got back into contention with a third-round 66, only to see her hopes ended with back-to-back bogeys from the 16th.
Charley Hull posted three birdies in her front nine on Sunday to close on Yamashita’s lead
A three-under 69 left Hull on nine under and runner-up at this event for the second time in three years, as Yamashita mixed three birdies with a lone bogey to post a final-round 70 and close out victory.
Yamashita ended the week on 11 under ahead of Hull and Minami Katsu, who posted a three-under 69, with Rio Takeda four strokes back in tied-fourth alongside A Lim Kim.
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How Yamashita held off Hull to major victory
AL Kim holed from 10 feet to save par at the first and birdied the next to briefly move alongside Yamashita, only to three-putt the third and bogey the fourth – where her playing partner made birdie – to quickly fall three behind.
Hull opened with four straight pars but began her move by following a five-foot birdie at the fifth with a two-putt from distance to take advantage of the par-five sixth, lifting her to eight under and solo second.
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Charley Hull carded rounds of 74, 70, 66 and 69 to end the week on nine under
Yamashita – playing two groups behind – squandered a close-range birdie chance at the fifth and saw her lead cut to one when Hull holed from 20 feet at the eighth, helping the Englishwoman reach the turn in 33 despite a par at the par-five ninth.
Hull failed to convert her eight-foot birdie chance at the 10th, dropping her three back when Yamashita birdied the eighth and two-putted from 80 feet to add another at the ninth, but responded by birdieing the 12th to move to 10 under.
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Charley Hull now has four runner-up finishes in majors without victory
The fans’ favourite made par at the next after finding sand with her second shot but made amends with a long-range birdie at the 13th, where Yamashita recovered from finding a fairway bunker off the tee to drain a 20-footer and scramble par.
Yamashita produced another clutch save at the 14th to double her lead over Hull, who required a monster putt to salvage a bogey at the 16th after finding sand off the tee and missing the green with her third shot.
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Yamashita took a three-shot lead into the weekend and also held the 54-hole lead in Wales
Hull’s hopes were ended when she three-putted from the fringe to bogey the 17th and missed her birdie putt at the last, giving Yamashita a two-shot buffer on the final hole despite the leader also dropping a shot on her penultimate hole.
Yamashita pitched onto the green with her third shot into the par-five and closed out victory with a two-putt par, before being sprayed on the 18th green by her compatriots after becoming the fourth different female Japanese major winner in the last two seasons.
Watch the winning moment form the AIG Women’s Open, where Miyu Yamashita closing out victory sparked wild scenes on the 18th green
Speaking via a translator, Yamashita said: “The course is set up very difficult but also [in] brilliant condition. The amount of people supporting and fans around me today really pushed me towards the victory. This is for them as well.
“To all the fans who came here today, everybody who watched on the TV, my family of course, I want to thank them. It being my first win as well, it’s an amazing feeling to celebrate with everybody.”
Sky Sports’ Dame Laura Davies has high praise for the AIG Women’s Open winner Miyu Yamashita
Pre-tournament favourite Lottie Woad posted a final-round 71 to end in tied-eighth on eight under alongside Spain’s Paula Martin Sampedro, who claimed the Smyth Salver as the best amateur after firing five consecutive birdies in a final-round 68.
Mimi Rhodes produced one of the most remarkable hole-in-ones in major history on her way to a tied-19th finish, making her ace at the par-three fifth after seeing her tee shot deflect off Stephanie Kyriacou’s ball, with Georgia Hall also ending on one under.
Mimi Rhodes made a hole-in-one off Steph Kyriacou’s ball during a remarkable incident at the par-three fifth
What’s next?
The Ladies European Tour heads to England next for the PIF London Championship, beginning Friday and held at the Centurion Club, with Leona Maguire returning as defending champion.
The LPGA Tour takes a week off before returning from August 14-17, with The Standard Portland Classic taking place in Oregon. Not got Sky? Stream the women’s majors and more with no contract.
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