Key Takeaways
- Miyu Yamashita found her breakthrough at the AIG Women's Open, while Cameron Young finally took home the grand prize at the Wyndham Championship.
- Yamashita became just the third Japanese player to win the Women's Open.
- RG's Brendon Elliott breaks it all down in his latest instalment of “The Starter”.
Miyu Yamashita of Japan poses for a photo with the trophy (Photo by Luke Walker/Getty Images)
In this week's "The Starter," PGA professional Brendon Elliott, a three-decade industry veteran, breaks down how Miyu Yamashita broke through at the AIG Women's Open and Cameron Young finally captured his first PGA Tour title.
Cameron Young had seven runner-up finishes. Seven. That's not bad luck — that's psychological torture. Miyu Yamashita had 13 wins in Japan that nobody in America cared about. That's until this weekend, when both players finally got what they deserved.
Yamashita Pulls Off Miracle at AIG Women's Open Championship
Nobody saw this coming. Miyu Yamashita entered the AIG Women's Open at Royal Porthcawl ranked 15th in the world, which sounds impressive until you realize most golf fans couldn't pick her out of a lineup. She'd missed the cut here last year. Her best previous finish was a forgettable tie for 13th in 2022.
But here's what the Western golf media missed: Yamashita has been dominant. Thirteen wins on the LPGA Tour of Japan since 2021. Forty-four top-three finishes in that span. She wasn't unknown — she was ignored.
Her final-round 70 wasn't spectacular, but it didn't need to be. She'd already done the hard work, building a cushion with that brilliant 65 in the second round that few probably remember because it happened on a Friday.
Yamashita joins Ayako Okamoto (1984) and Hinako Shibuno (2019) as the only Japanese players to win the Women's Open. Three wins in 49 years tells you everything about how difficult this championship is to capture.
Hull's Near-Miss Stings Because It's Becoming a Pattern
Charley Hull shot 69 in the final round and lost by two. Again. This marks her second runner-up finish at the Women's Open in three years and her fourth silver medal in an LPGA major. At some point, "close" becomes "not close enough."
Hull is 29 and undeniably talented. She's made 14 appearances at the Women's Open. She's had 10 major top-10s. These are the numbers of someone who should have won by now. The fact that she hasn't isn't a statistical anomaly — it's starting to define her career.
The cruelest part? Her 279 total would have won this championship in multiple years. But golf doesn't grade on a curve, and Hull knows it.
An Amateur Reminded Everyone Why Majors Matter
Paula Martin Sampedro tied for eighth and shot the best round of Sunday (68). She's an amateur. This shouldn't happen anymore.
The last time an amateur finished this high at the Women's Open was 2005, when Michelle Wie finished third and Louise Stahle was tied for eighth. That was 20 years ago, back when the gap between amateur and professional golf was measured in yards, not miles.
Martin Sampedro's performance wasn't just a feel-good story — it was a throwback to when majors could still surprise us. Her Sunday 68 was also notable for ending a streak: it was the first daily low round all week that wasn't shot by a Japanese player.
PGA TOUR: Young's Win Was Inevitable
Cameron Young entered the Wyndham Championship with more runner-up finishes (seven) than any player without a win since 1983. That's not a fun fact — that's a curse.
Young led by five entering the final round, his first 54-hole lead on the PGA Tour. He could have folded. Instead, he closed it out like the player everyone thought he was but had never quite proven himself to be.
The statistics around Young's win are staggering. He became the 1,000th unique winner in PGA Tour history. He's the 12th first-time winner this season. He moved from No. 40 to No. 16 in the FedEx Cup standings with one swing of momentum.
But the most important number is one: his first victory in 94 career starts.
Why This Weekend Mattered
Both victories share a common thread: patience is rewarded. Yamashita spent years building a resume that American golf media ignored. Young spent years collecting silver medals that felt more like participation trophies.
Sports narratives love to crown "breakthrough" moments, but real breakthroughs don't happen overnight. They happen after years of preparation meeting opportunity. Yamashita and Young were ready when their moments arrived.
The timing matters too. Young secured his playoff position with room to spare. Yamashita announced herself as a major champion right as the women's game gains momentum globally. These weren't just wins — they were statements.
Golf rewards persistence, but it doesn't guarantee it. This weekend, two players who had every right to wonder "what if?" got their answers. Sometimes the best stories are the ones that take the longest to write.
