Miyu Yamashita – image Mark Runnacles LET
Japanese star, Miyu Yamashita, today won not only her first major title but her first LPGA Tour event with a two-shot victory over England’s Charley Hull and Japan’s Minami Katsu at the AIG Women’s Open Championship at Royal Porthcawl in Wales.
Japanese golfers have won two majors in 2025 to go with the two they won in 2024, highlighting that country’s growing presence in the Rolex Rankings.
Yamashita has been a prolific winner on the Japan LPGA Tour, but this is her rookie LPGA Tour season, and, in an impressive first season where she was already featuring as one of the leading rookies, she has elevated her standing in the game significantly.
She is now likely to move inside the top ten on the Rolex Rankings from her current 15th position as a result of her win today.
Yamashita was in or near the lead throughout the event after her opening round of 68 left her one behind her countrywoman Rio Takeda, but it was her second round of 65 that allowed her to take control of the event, and although she was challenged throughout the final 36 holes, she never let the lead slip.
“This has been a goal of mine, something I’ve worked towards my whole life, a dream you could say,” said the champion. “It’s been the result of hard work every single day, making changes, making improvements, and to be able to do it now and call myself a champion is a very special thing.”
Hull began the weekend a massive 11 shots behind Yamashita but finished just two from the winner, recording yet another runner-up finish in majors, her 4th such result.
Stephanie Kyriacou finished as the leading Australasian when she added a final round of 71 to share 8th place and earn a cheque for US$228,000, taking her earnings for the season to US$806,000.
“The 1st hole was quite rough,” said Kyriacou, referring to her triple bogey start. “It’s not ideal when you hit your second ball OB, onto the beach. I stuck in there, showed some grit, and finished 1-under today. I’m very happy.
“I think it would have been quite easy to throw it in and be like, oh, F this or whatever, but I got something out of my round. I got something out of my day. I’m really proud with how I showed up for the rest of the day.”
When asked to assess her performance in the majors this year, Kyriacou responded;
“I’d say the last two have definitely — I’ve definitely played golf how I’ve wanted to, which is nice. I think sometimes in majors I let it being a major added some pressure. Yeah, I think I’ve learned a lot in majors, which I’ll take into next year. I know it’s a long way away, but even to take into some tournaments in a couple weeks’ time.”
Minjee Lee finished 13th, Lydia Ko 36th and Grace Kim 67th.
Leaderboard
Four Australians and two New Zealanders tackle US Amateur Championship
The 8th hole at the Olympic Club near San Francisco – image USGA
If you think the field for next week’s US Amateur Championship at the Olympic Club near San Francisco is large in numbers (and it is at 312), then consider all of those who attempted to gain access to the event from the original number of more than 5200 with handicaps of 2.4 or better.
Nearly half of the field gained access via the automatic entry criteria, but the remainder had to survive the grind that is local and sectional qualifying.
Amongst the final line-up who will play 36 holes of qualifying ahead of the match play phase are four Australians and two New Zealanders as they look to join Nick Flanagan, Danny Lee and Curtis Luck as Australasians to win amateur golf’s most prestigious male title.
Decland O’Donovan, Billy Dowling, Aarow Aarav Shah and Coby Carruthers will join New Zealanders Zachary Swanick and Josh Bai when the 36 holes of strokeplay begins on Monday, 11th August, California time.
Donovan, from the Avondale Golf Club in Sydney, is the current and former NSW Amateur Champion and, a week ag,o won the Canadian Amateur Championship in Ottawa.
Queensland’s Billy Dowling continues to impress in both amateur and professional events, the 20-year-old, who is coached by Nancy Harvey at Royal Pines on the Gold Coast, plays his golf at the Brisbane Golf Club.
20-year-old Dowling has played a series of amateur events in both the UK and the US in recent weeks, making the quarter finals at the British Amateur Championship. He won the South Australian Amateur Championship late in 2024 and has recorded several top tens in PGA Tour of Australasia events.
18-year-old Aarow Aarav Shah of Indian origin, but more recently based in Melbourne, is in high school in the US, and has signed to join the University of Southern California in the new semester, but earlier this year won the Dustin Johnson Junior Championship at Myrtle Beach.
20-year-old Coby Carruthers from the Concord Golf Club in Sydney has played a number of events in Britain and the US in recent weeks and finished 5th at the prestigious Porter Cup.
New Zealand’s Zachary Swanwick, now playing his golf at the University of Florida, recently finished 3rd at the Western Amateur. The Hawkes Bay native is a former Australian and New Zealand junior champion. Swanwick and O’Donovan are the only two of the six Australasians to have gained automatic entry into the event.
Josh Bai from Auckland has struggled in recent events in the US, but is a former runner-up at the US Junior Championship. He is now a freshman at the University of Florida where he joins his fellow countryman Swanwick.
Tee Times
Agonising semi final loss for Ella Scaysbrook
Ella Scaysbrook embraces Megha Ganne at the completion of the semi final in extra time – image Darren Carroll USGA
NSW golfer, Ella Scaysbrook, has suffered an agonising loss in the semi-final of the US Women’s Amateur Championship at Bandon Dunes in Oregon, relinquishing a 4-up lead with just seven holes to play to lose at the first extra hole to American Megha Ganne.
Scaysbrook powered her way to a 4-up lead through 9 holes with three birdies, but lost the 10th before winning the 11th with another birdie. At that point, the 19-year-old appeared to have the match in control given the manner in which she was playing.
Ganne, though, began to find form, and in the demanding gusty seaside conditions played the next six holes in 2 under par to square the match at the 17th.
Both players struggled at the 18th, bogeys by the pair forcing the match into extra time before Scaysbrook was long with her approach at the short par 4 10th hole (the first of the playoff) and finally conceded Ganne’s birdie putt for the American to win 1 -up.
It will no doubt have been an heartbreaking loss for the teenager from Newcastle, but she can take solace in the fact that she reached the semi’s of the most significant event in women’s golf and did so after scraping into the match play field after a playoff on Wednesday morning where 15 golfers were battling for six places in the final 64.
“Just really proud of myself now that I am one the best I guess, I can compete with the best,” said Scaysbrook after the match. “After the stroke play I didn’t have a spot, so proud I made it this far.
“Nice to know that I secured my spots for the next two years,” she added, acknowledging that by getting this far in the event, she receives automatic entry into the US Women’s Am for the next two years.
“Definitely be back for this event. I’ll take this trip again next year, and after that, I don’t know if I’ll turn pro or not, but at this rate, I probably will by the end of next year.
“I’ll take out of it that I am capable of competing with the best.”
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
SCORES
Ella Scaysborok reaches semi finals at US Women’s Am
Ella Scaysbrook in action in today’s quarter final match against Canadian Taylor Kehoe
19-year-old Newcastle golfer, Ella Scaysbrook, continues to impress at the US Women’s Amateur Championship, defeating Canadian Taylor Kehoe in the quarter finals of the world’s most significant women’s amateur event, in what was yet another one sided match.
In blustery oceanside conditions, Scaysbrook opened with a 40-foot birdie putt at the opening hole to go 1 up and won the third with a par, but it would be through the middle of the round that Scaysbrook put a seal on the match when she won the 8th, 9th and 10th holes to establish a 4-hole break.
The 10th hole was perhaps the highlight when she holed from close to 50 feet for eagle and although Kehoe would birdie the same hole, the margin was 4. When Scaysbrook won the 12th to go 5 up it was then just a matter of time.
Both players bogeyed the 13th but the end would come at the 14th when both players were conceded bogeys for Scaysbrook to win 5&4.
When asked if she had allowed herself to think ahead to a place in Sunday’s final, Scaysbrook said, “A little bit, but try to stay in the present. Just go out tomorrow and see what happens. I’m proud I made it this far anyway.”
Scaysbrook, after surviving a tense playoff on Wednesday morning for a place in the match play field, has won her four matches to date by no less than a 4&3 margin and tomorrow gets the chance to become just the fourth Australian to make the championship final of the event, following in the footsteps of Lindy Goggin, Anne Marie Knight and Gabi Ruffels (twice)
Scaysbrook’s semi-final opponent is American Megha Ganne who finished 11th in the 36 hole qualifying earlier in the week compared to Scaybrook’s 63rd seeding but the Novacastrian has swept all before her to date and the manner of her wins thus far suggests she could well make the final.
Scoring
Ella Scaysbrook reaches US Women’s Am quarter finals.
Ella Scaysbrook in action today during her round of 16 match – image Darren Carroll USGA
19-year-old NSW golfer, Ella Scaysbrook, has advanced to the quarter finals of the US Women’s Amateur Championship after winning both her round of 32 and round of 16 matches at Bandon Dunes Golf Club in Oregon today.
Scaysbrook, who was forced to survive a playoff for one of the final few places in the match play field on Wednesday morning, easily accounted for American Avery Weed in her morning match 4&3 and, again, in her afternoon match against American Jasmine Koo was never behind before also winning 4&3.
Scaysbrook has spent some time of late at the Florida home of Australian golfer, Sarah Jane Smith, and her husband Duane, who has also caddied for the Novacastrian this week.
Scaysbrook has won the Avondale Bowl in Sydney this year and finished well in several leading amateur events in Australia, including the Masters of the Amateurs where she was runner-up.
Scaysbrook will take on either American Rayee Feng or Canada’s Taylor Kehoe in her quarter-final match, both players with impressive records in US amateur events in recent weeks and who are locked in a lengthy round of 16 battle.
Earlier in the round of 32, Victorian Jazy Roberts was eliminated when losing to American Rayee Feng. Roberts took an early 3 up lead in the match, but Feng won four of five holes during the middle of the round to go 1 up before losing the last to Roberts who squared the match with a par.
Feng, though, would birdie the first extra hole to advance.
Gabi Ruffels is the only Australian to have won the US Women’s Amateur Championship.
Scoring
Jazy Roberts and Ella Scaysbrook advance at US Women’s Am
Ella Scaysbrook interviewed after her defeat of co-medallist Asterisk Talley – image Darren Carroll USGA
Newcastle’s Ella Scaysbrook and Victorian Jazy Roberts have moved through the opening round of match play at the US Women’s Amateur Championship at Bandon Dunes in Oregon. They will tackle the round of 32 tomorrow.
Scaysbrook, who has spent the last two months competing in events in the US, was forced to survive a playoff on Wednesday morning between 15 golfers for seven spots to earn a place in the top 64 and then proceeded to defeat one of the two leading qualifiers in the 36-hole strokeplay, Asterisk Talley, in her opening round match-up.
Talley, a member of the U.S. National Junior Team who was coming off a win last week in the Girls Junior PGA Championship and jumped to No. 13 in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking®/WAGR®, never won a hole against Scaysbrook. She was 2 down after three and then lost four consecutive holes from No. 11.
Roberts, the 7th qualifier, was 2 up with two to play in her opening round match against Michigan’s Macie Elzinger but lost her closing two holes to birdies before a birdie at the first hole of extra time sealed her win.
The only other Australian to make the match play phase, Momo Sugiyama, was defeated in her opening round match by Thailand’s Pinky Chaisil Prungruang.
Scoring
New Zealand Open delivers signficant benefits for New Zealand’s economy and toursim
Millbrook’s 18th hole – the cauldron for the NZ Open finale
The 104th New Zealand Open has cemented its status as the Asia-Pacific region’s premier Pro-Am golf tournament by delivering significant economic and tourism benefits to New Zealand and the Queenstown region in particular.
Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston was pleased the event was such a resounding success, highlighting its positive impact on New Zealand’s economy and international profile.
“I’m thrilled to hear the New Zealand Open provided a strong boost to the economy,” said Minister Upston. “We’re proud to support world-class sporting events like this through the Major Events Fund. As well as contributing to the local and national economy, major events attract international visitors and strengthen our reputation on the world stage.”
Supporting the economic impact of the event, a record global television audience tuned in to view the 2025 New Zealand Open with at least 7.4 million viewers to over 90 countries. The broadcast featured sweeping views of the Wakatipu Basin and numerous world-class golf courses throughout New Zealand, showcasing the country’s golfing pedigree to a huge global audience. The broadcast reach was complemented by over 130 million social media impressions, a record for the event.
With the biggest viewership in China, India, North America and Australia the media outcomes delivered by the New Zealand Open align with the wider tourism objectives of New Zealand. The record reach of New Zealand’s flagship golf event supports ongoing growth of the burgeoning high-value golf tourism industry in New Zealand.
John Hart, Chairman of the New Zealand Open, said the tournament’s ability to attract both passionate spectators and affluent international guests is key to its long-term success: “We’re proud to have built an event that is driving growth on multiple fronts—raising the bar for sporting events in New Zealand and attracting high-value visitors to our country. The support from our international players and partners alongside the engagement from kiwi spectators has been phenomenal.”
Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO of the Asian Tour, praised the tournament’s continued rise in the golfing world saying: “These results show that the New Zealand Open has truly cemented its place as the pre-eminent Pro-Am event in the Asia-Pacific region. The tournament has successfully blended the history and prestige of a national Open with a unique pro-am experience that is a drawcard for professionals and amateur players from throughout the region. It’s an event that the Asian Tour is proud to have on our tour calendar and one our players are always eager to be a part of.”
Nick Dastey, Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia’s General Manager of Tournaments and Global Tour Relationships, echoed the Asian Tour sentiments saying the New Zealand Open is raising the benchmark for Pro-Am tournaments globally. “The New Zealand Open delivers a top-tier playing experience for both the professional and pro-am players. We have seen huge growth in people from Australia visiting New Zealand and in particular the Queenstown region throughout the year on golfing holidays with the stunning pictures from the broadcast whetting their appetite and marking New Zealand as a must visit golfing and holiday destination.”
Building on this momentum, Brian Howie, Director of Operations at Millbrook Resort, reaffirmed the venue’s commitment to the tournament’s future: “We’re thrilled to announce Millbrook Resort’s continued relationship with Golf New Zealand to host the New Zealand Open through to 2032. This long-term commitment reflects our belief in the value that the New Zealand Open brings to Queenstown and New Zealand as a whole.”
With its mix of elite sport, international exposure and economic impact, the New Zealand Open continues to go from strength to strength.
The 105th New Zealand Open will be played at Millbrook Resort in Queenstown between 26 February and 1 March 2026.
Roberts and Sugiyama advance at US Am – Scaysbrook in playoff
The Gold Coast’s Momo Sugiyama – one of two Australians guaranteed a place in match-play phase
Two of the three Australians who made it into the field for the US Women’s Amateur Championship at the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon have finished inside the top 64 to advance to tomorrow’s opening knockout round, while another will face a playoff to determine whether or not she advances.
Jazy Roberts (7th) and Momo Sugiyama (33rd) will take on their match play opponents after surviving against a field of more than 150 to play their way into the all important match play phase but, for Ella Scaysbrook, she is amongst the 15 golfers to fight it out for one of seven remaining spots when they return to the course tomorrow.
Roberts, from the Yarra Yarra Golf Club in Melbourne, made it to the final 16 at the recent Women’s Amateur Championship in Nairn in Scotland and earlier won the Pacific Northwest Amateur in the US and finished runner-up at the North and South Amateur Championship at Pinehurst.
Sugiyama attends Purdue University in the US and has just finished her senior year. The Gold Coast born and raised golfer attended Purdue from 2022.
Scaysbrook, from Newcastle in NSW, is a prolific placegetter in Australian amateur events but will need a bit of luck if she is to survive her playoff for a place in the top 64 tomorrow.
The Australians will look to join Gabi Ruffels as the only Australians to have won this prestigious women’s amateur title.
Leaderboard
Gritty finish keeps Cam Davis’ PGA Tour season alive
Cam Davis – file photo courtesy of PGA of America
Australian Cam Davis has survived a tense battle for survival on this year’s PGA Tour and will advance to the first of the FedEx Cup playoffs this coming week in Memphis.
Davis needed to be inside the top 70 of the FedEx Cup rankings at the completion of the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro today, and a birdie at his 17th hole today and a 12-foot par-saving putt at the last saw him finish in 44th place in the event and 69th position in the FedEx Cup rankings.
Davis had been on the bubble for much of the weekend, and a triple bogey at his 11th hole today threatened to bring his season to a close before the playoffs, but birdies at the 12th, 15th and 17th holes and the par save at the last saw him survive to live another day.
Therefore Ryan Fox, Jason Day, Minwoo Lee and Cam Davis are the Australasians will tee it up in the first of the playoffs, the St Jude FedEx Championship starting in Memphis on Thursday as they chase a spot in the top 50 to advance to the BMW Championship in Maryland the following week and into the top 30 to make it to the Tour Championship in Atlanta in three weeks’ time.
Wyndham Leaderboard
FedEx Cup standings
Yamashita yet another Japan Major winner – Kyriacou leads Australasians
Miyu Yamashita – image Mark Runnacles LET
Japanese star, Miyu Yamashita, today won not only her first major title but her first LPGA Tour event with a two-shot victory over England’s Charley Hull and Japan’s Minami Katsu at the AIG Women’s Open Championship at Royal Porthcawl in Wales.
Japanese golfers have won two majors in 2025 to go with the two they won in 2024, highlighting that country’s growing presence in the Rolex Rankings.
Yamashita has been a prolific winner on the Japan LPGA Tour, but this is her rookie LPGA Tour season, and, in an impressive first season where she was already featuring as one of the leading rookies, she has elevated her standing in the game significantly.
She is now likely to move inside the top ten on the Rolex Rankings from her current 15th position as a result of her win today.
Yamashita was in or near the lead throughout the event after her opening round of 68 left her one behind her countrywoman Rio Takeda, but it was her second round of 65 that allowed her to take control of the event, and although she was challenged throughout the final 36 holes, she never let the lead slip.
“This has been a goal of mine, something I’ve worked towards my whole life, a dream you could say,” said the champion. “It’s been the result of hard work every single day, making changes, making improvements, and to be able to do it now and call myself a champion is a very special thing.”
Hull began the weekend a massive 11 shots behind Yamashita but finished just two from the winner, recording yet another runner-up finish in majors, her 4th such result.
Stephanie Kyriacou finished as the leading Australasian when she added a final round of 71 to share 8th place and earn a cheque for US$228,000, taking her earnings for the season to US$806,000.
“The 1st hole was quite rough,” said Kyriacou, referring to her triple bogey start. “It’s not ideal when you hit your second ball OB, onto the beach. I stuck in there, showed some grit, and finished 1-under today. I’m very happy.
“I think it would have been quite easy to throw it in and be like, oh, F this or whatever, but I got something out of my round. I got something out of my day. I’m really proud with how I showed up for the rest of the day.”
When asked to assess her performance in the majors this year, Kyriacou responded;
“I’d say the last two have definitely — I’ve definitely played golf how I’ve wanted to, which is nice. I think sometimes in majors I let it being a major added some pressure. Yeah, I think I’ve learned a lot in majors, which I’ll take into next year. I know it’s a long way away, but even to take into some tournaments in a couple weeks’ time.”
Minjee Lee finished 13th, Lydia Ko 36th and Grace Kim 67th.
Leaderboard
FedEx Cup Playoffs all but finalised
Ryan Fox – leads the Australasians in FedEx Cup standings
FedEx Cup playoff participants have been all but determined following the completion of round three of the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro in North Carolina.
Adam Scott needed a top-three finish this week if he was to finish inside the top 70 and advance to the first of the three playoffs in Memphis next week, but languishing in 36th place heading into tomorrow’s final round, his PGA Tour season appears over.
Scott has played seventeen events on the PGA Tour this season without a top ten finish, his best being when 12th at the US Open, and he will finish in around 87th place in the standings.
Of the other Australasians in this week’s field, Ryan Fox missed the cut, but his play earlier in the year, including his wins in Myrtle Beach and Canada, has him in 32nd place in the standings, and he will advance not only to Memphis but to the second of the playoff events in Maryland.
Fox will need to play well if he is to make the top 30 to advance to the Tour Championship, but either way, he has found his feet on the PGA Tour.
Cam Davis may well be the unlucky golfer this week in many respects. Davis shares 36th place in this week’s event with one round to play, but he has slipped from 67th to 72nd in the FedEx Cup standings and likely needs a good round tomorrow and a little help from others if he is to advance to Memphis.
Rookie Karl Vilips leads the Australasians this week in 21st place through 54 holes, but irrespective of what he does tomorrow, he will not advance despite a win earlier in the season.
Vilips is likely to finish around 80th in the standings, but a successful first season at this level all the same.
Aaron Baddeley made the cut this week but is well down in the standings, his status on the PGA Tour is again in Jeopardy.
So the likely line-up of Australasians in the opening FedEx Cup playoff in Memphis next week is Ryan Fox, Jason Day, Min Woo Lee and, possibly, Cam Davis.
FedEx Cup Standings