LPGA and LET: first Major for Miyu Yamashita

Alessandra Fanali

The Japanese dominated from the opening round in the AIG Women's Open, and in the end, the title of the fifth and final women's Major of the season went to Miyu Yamashita, who finished with a 277 (68 65 74 70, -11) shot, two ahead of compatriot Minami Katsu and England's Charley Hull, who finished second with 279 (-9).

Miyu Yamashita, results

On the par-72 Royal Porthcawl Golf Club course in Porthcawl, Wales, in the tournament organized by the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour, another Japanese player, Rio Takeda, finished fourth with a 281 (-7), along with South Korean A Lim Kim. Taiwanese Wei-Ling Hsu and American Megan Khang finished sixth with a 282 (-6), and eighth with a 284 (-4) was the eagerly awaited Englishwoman Lottie Woad, who recently turned professional and already has two LET wins (one as an amateur), Australian Stephanie Kyriacou, and the strong Spanish amateur Paula Martin Sampedro, winner of the European Ladies' Amateur Championship at the end of July.

American Nelly Korda, world number one, and New Zealand's Lydia Ko, the defending champion, were disappointed, finishing 36th with a 291 (+3), while Alessandra Fanali's first Major ended in the cut, finishing 106th with a 151 (73 78, +7).

Miyu Yamashita, 24, from Neyagawa, inaugurated her trophy case—which spans both the LPGA Tour, where she plays, and the Ladies European Tour—with a Major, but before playing in the US, she had won 13 titles on the LPGA of Japan Tour. She closed her winning run, which began as the leader in the second round, with a 70 (-2, three birdies, one bogey) and received a check for $1,425,000 on a prize pool of $9,500,000.

The rules of golf are relatively complicated compared to other sports because they are played outdoors, close to nature and animals. Respecting the rules is a fundamental element in the game of golf, which, almost always based on self-control and the free conscience of the players, often sees distorted results, sometimes consciously, but often unconsciously or through carelessness, due to the failure of many players to comply with the rules of the game. In addition to the rules, golf adheres to a code of conduct, known as etiquette, which generally means playing the game with due respect for the golf course and other players. Etiquette is an essential component of this sport.

LPGA/LET: Lottie Woad shows off in Scotland

Ariya Jutanugarn

Spectacular Lottie Woad. After moving up the ranks from number one amateur, she won her first tournament as a pro, the ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open, which she completed with a 267 (67, 65, 67, 68, -21), capping an incredible three-week run. In early July, she won the KPMG Women's Irish Open (LET), then finished third seven days later in The Amundi Evian Championship, her fourth women's Major, both times still amateur. She now has a ticket to the LET and LPGA, which also jointly organized the tournament at Dundonald Links (par 72) in Scotland.

Lottie Woad, results

The 21-year-old from Farnham took the lead in the second round and then held off her opponents to conclude her winning run with a 68 (-4, five birdies, one bogey). She left Korea's Hyo Joo Kim, second with a 270 (-18), three strokes behind, and Spain's Julia Lopez Ramirez and fellow Korean Sei Young Kim, third with a 274 (-14), seven strokes behind. She took home $300,000 from a $2,000,000 prize pool.

Two Italian players were in the field. Benedetta Moresco had a very consistent performance, finishing 21st with a 283 (70 71 71 71, -5), and Alessandra Fanali finished 50th with a 289 (74 71 72 72, +1).

Nelly Korda, number one in the Rolex Ranking, held a significant gap, even though she finished in fifth place with a 275 (-13). She was followed by Denmark's Nanna Koerstz Madsen, sixth with a 277 (-11), South Africa's Paula Reto, seventh with a 278 (-10), Korea's Mi Hyang Lee, and Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn, eighth with a 279 (-9). Among the contenders, Lauren Coughlin, defending her title, finished in tenth place with a 280 (-8).

Benedetta Moresco, in the final round, shot her third straight 71 (-1) with three birdies and two bogeys, and Alessandra Fanali finished with a 72 (par, two birdies, two bogeys).

The Rules of Golf are a set of standards and procedures by which the sport of golf should be played. They are jointly written and administered by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, the governing body of golf worldwide, except in the United States and Mexico, which are governed by the United States Golf Association. An expert committee composed of members of the R&A and the USGA oversees and refines the rules every four years. The latest revision took effect on January 1, 2016. Amendments to the Rules of Golf are generally divided into two main categories: those that improve understanding and those that reduce penalties in certain cases to ensure balance. The rulebook, entitled "Rules of Golf," is published regularly and also includes rules governing amateur status. In Italy, the Italian Golf Federation is responsible for overseeing competitions by enforcing the rules issued by the R&A, ensuring that these rules are observed by clubs, associations, and their members, and managing the resulting sporting justice, protecting their interests abroad.