A day of two halves at the AIG Women’s Open. Early on, conditions temporarily eased in South Wales and Miyu Yamashita (-11) took advantage of this gift from the golf gods, making a strong statement at the British. The young Japanese player delivered a sensational bogey-free round of 65, positioning herself as the standout leader with a total of eleven under par after two rounds.
It was the same day, but the difference between the two shifts was stark. Of the players who teed off earlier, 23 managed to beat Royal Porthcawl, but in the afternoon shift, only three did. Although in the morning shift, what the Japanese player did was a whirlwind. In the afternoon shift, it was a
Yamashita, who turns 24 this Saturday, displayed a high-level game from tee to green. Birdies on the first two holes, which are not easy, set the pace for the round. She continued to add precise successes around the course and closed with another birdie on the 18th, clearly demonstrating her dominance. This is, so far, the lowest round recorded at Royal Porthcawl this week. No one else has delivered an error-free round.
She has opened a three-shot gap with Rio Takeda (-8) and a seven-shot gap with the players tied for third place. The two Japanese players have sent a serious warning. They have no intention of letting the victory slip away. Between 1970 and 2023, Japanese players won two majors. This week could be the fourth victory in the last two seasons. Undoubtedly, the field is on the hunt for the two Japanese players.
Yamashita’s immaculate performance is still a great surprise. Although, it must be said, she knows a lot about winning. Since turning professional in 2020, she has won 13 tournaments on the LPGA of Japan. That victory marked a turning point: she decided to make the leap to the LPGA Tour through the demanding Q-Series, and she hasn’t looked back.
Her adaptation to the elite has been immediate, achieving six top-ten finishes in her debut season, including the PGA Championship. Her performance in Wales seems to be the next big step in her career: fighting for her first Major.
Another player who caught the eye on this second day was Lottie Woad (-2). The young English star had finished the first round five shots off the lead and started Friday with the pedal to the metal, eyeing a possible comeback. A triple bogey on the 16th hole, after a poor start and several consecutive errors, temporarily dashed her hopes. She closed with 70 strokes (-2), falling nine shots off the lead, but in the top ten of the tournament. Something very similar happened to Thitikul (-1) with another triple bogey. Despite hitting 14/14 fairways, she couldn’t beat the course and with a card of 73 strokes, she will start Saturday ten shots off the lead. Nelly Korda delivered a level-par round and is tied with Woad at two under par overall.
With the wind forecast for Saturday and Sunday, Yamashita’s three-shot lead over her compatriot Rio Takeda (-8) could become insignificant. It’s true that the gap they’ve opened is significant, but they are only two players and could falter at any moment. The rest are waiting in the wings.
Paula Martín y Carla Bernat pelearán por repetir la hazaña diez años después
Among the players who bowed out earlier than expected are Hinako Shibuno (+3), Brooke Henderson (+3), Rose Zhang, Lilia Vu (+7), Jinyoung Ko (+7) or Maja Stark (+8).
