27
Yuna Nishimura took control of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G on day one and never let go. She finished off a wire-to-wire victory Sunday at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, closing with a 5-under 66 to reach 21-under par and claim her first LPGA Tour title.
Back-to-back 63s to open the tournament gave Nishimura a five-shot cushion heading into the final round. Protecting a lead that size, she said afterward, was a test of its own.
“A five-shot lead is a pretty tough situation, but I believed in myself and just kept going until the end,” Nishimura said. “I missed a lot of cuts this year, so for me to win this tournament is a surprise, but it’s a dream come true.”
An eagle on the par-5 14th hole sealed it, capping a final round of five birdies and two bogeys. The victory makes Nishimura the third first-time winner on the LPGA Tour this season and the tour’s 17th different champion of 2026.
It also continues Japan’s strong history in Rogers. Nishimura is the third Japanese champion in tournament history, following Ai Miyazato (2012) and Nasa Hataoka (2018, 2021), and the 24th Japanese winner in LPGA Tour history. The connection to Miyazato makes the trophy especially meaningful.
“She is the reason I play golf,” Nishimura said of Miyazato. “She’s somebody I look up to, and when I was struggling I would call her and she would be my shoulder to lean on, so I can’t wait to call her and tell her that I won.”
Akie Iwai mounted the day’s biggest charge, carding a 9-under 62 with nine birdies to reach 16-under 197. She hit 11 of 13 fairways and 17 of 18 greens in regulation, needing only 26 putts, and reeled off five consecutive birdies during the round.
Iwai tied for second with Chanettee Wannasaen, who closed with a 7-under 64, and In Gee Chun, whose 6-under 65 came in her first start back from an extended layoff.
Saturday belonged to history, too. Lauren Coughlin opened her round with nine consecutive birdies — an LPGA Tour record — on her way to a 61 at Pinnacle Country Club.
Fellow Japanese players who finished their rounds early stayed late to watch Nishimura finish the job, and she had warm words for the Arkansas crowds.
“This is one of the tournaments that I feel the most love from the fans, and especially on No. 18,” Nishimura said. “It’s a lot of fun. I love the energy and so, yeah, the fans mean a great deal to me.”
Source: Walmart NW Arkansas Championship tournament release (nwachampionship.com).
Feature Photo Credit: NW Arkansas Chamionship/Facebook
READ ALSO: $10M Grant Supports Push to Address Food Insecurity in Arkansas