For the second time this calendar year, a player from Japan has won a major in women’s golf. On Sunday, Miyu Yamashita of Neyagawa won the 2025 AIG Women’s British Open in Porthcawl, Wales, after shooting a four round score of -11. She followed Mao Saigo of Funabashi, who won the 2025 Chevron Championship.
This is actually the second straight year that two Japanese golfers have won a major in women’s golf. In 2024, Yuka Saso won the United States Women’s Open and Ayaka Furue of Kobe won the Evian Masters. Prior to 2024, Japan had only two champions ever in women’s golf. Chako Higuchi of Kawagoe, who also went by the first name of Hisako, won the 1977 LPGA Championship, and Hinako Shibuno of Okayama won the 2019 United States Women’s Open.
Heading into the fourth round on Sunday of the 2025 AIG Women’s British Open, Yamashita was at -9 and had a one stroke lead on A Lim Kim of South Korea, who was at -8. In the final round, Yamashita returned to -11, which was her score after round two.
In Yamashita’s fourth round, there were three birdies and one bogey. Yamashita birdied the fourth, eighth and ninth holes, and bogeyed the 17th hole. There were two other golfers in contention. Tied for second place were England’s Charley Hull, and Japan’s Minami Katsu, who were both at -9.
With the win on Sunday, Yamashita is now 15th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. She is the third ranked player from Japan. Yamashita is behind Saigo, who is ranked 10th, and Rio Takeda of Koshi, who is ranked 12th.
