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.

Fans concerned as Lydia Ko hints her career could end sooner than expected

golf

Lydia Ko is a golfer who amazed the public many times with her performances, but also with her maturity even when she was a teenager and world number 1. 

Her career had an interesting trajectory, as she became extremely popular as an 18-year-old. 

Some wonder if Ko will experience saturation and end her career much earlier than expected. 

In an interview with the media before the start of one of the tournaments, the 28-year-old golfer shared her visions regarding the future, still not knowing when she will put an end to everything. 

Ko has much more freedom in this period of her career than when she was taking her first steps on the golf scene.

“I honestly don't know when my last event is going to be,” she told talkSPORT

“I do have more of the freedom of what tournaments I want to play versus when I was a rookie 12 years ago."

Lydia Ko: I've always wanted to leave the game while I still love it or still enjoy it

Lydia Ko is a member of the Hall of Fame, but she stresses that regardless of that, she got to know her body and herself better every year. 

Having a great career, it is natural that questions arise as to how long you want to be a part of this sport and whether you enjoy it at all. 

The New Zealand golfer clearly enjoys golf, admitting that she does not want to leave golf the moment she no longer has passion for the sport.

“But I think even if I wasn't a Hall of Famer, over time, you just realise and understand your body a little bit more. I think it just comes with time outside of just my career as a whole.

I've always wanted to leave the game while I still love it or still enjoy it. Because I don't want to stop playing because I just purely don't like it anymore. 

Golf has given me a lot in my life and made me experience so many different things that I probably wouldn't have if I wasn't a golfer. So I don't want to step away because I don't even want to see my golf clubs anymore."- she continued.

The 28-year-old golfer worried some, saying that she is still not sure when she will finish her career, but she feels that it is closer than some think. 

Whether Ko feels that it is time for the end or has certain visions regarding the future is still not certain. 

She wants to enjoy this phase of her career, planning to be an important figure in the coming period.