Women’s Open, Golf: Japan’s Yamashita holds nerve to claim first major

Miyu Yamashita won the Women’s Open by two shots to claim the first major of her career after the 24-year-old kept Charley Hull and Minami Katsu at bay to become the fourth different major champion from Japan in the last two years.

Yamashita finished with an overall score of 11-under at Royal Porthcawl after she sank three birdies on the front nine. She remained steady on the back nine before weathering a late stumble with her first bogey of the day on the par-four 17th.

Hull mounted a spirited challenge with five birdies that brought her to within one shot of Yamashita. However, the Briton’s title hopes crumbled with back-to-back bogeys on the 16th and 17th, while a missed birdie putt on the 18th sealed her fate.

Katsu also tied for second with four birdies, offset by a bogey on the second, to finish with a final-round score of 69.

Yamashita showed championship composure despite the bogey and survived a nervy finish when she found the rough with her first two shots on the final hole, but she avoided the bunkers to land her third shot on the green.

Yamashita missed her birdie putt by inches but made par to spark wild celebrations that culminated with the new major champion being drenched in champagne by her compatriots.