Celebrating Wales' summer of women's sport
I don't know if you have watched the documentary on iPlayer but their journey from playing Germany in a field in Haverfordwest with their audience in the tens and a few horses, to their qualification for their first major tournament with some amazing women in Laura McAllister, Jayne Ludlow and Lowri Roberts (and of course Jess Fishlock!) helping them to rise from the point of not having a women's team at all, to competing at the highest level of international football.
It has been a huge rush to see the mass of Wal Goch supporters in red taking to the streets in Switzerland and the excitement making no distinction between the gender of the players.
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Now, so excitingly, we welcome the Women's Open to Royal Porthcawl from July 30 to August 2. Darcey Harry from Dinas Powys, who last month won her first Ladies European Tour in the Hulencourt Women's Open in Belgium, will take to her home course against 143 others at the 49th open here in Wales. It is the first time the competition has been held on Welsh soil and for us all to have the opportunity to watch golfers from all over the world in our own backyard.
Just weeks beyond this, the women's Rugby World Cup is to be held just over the bridge in England. Tickets are still available for many of the matches in Bristol and the huge competition will see Wales take on Scotland in the Salford Community stadium on the second day of the tournament.
Only last week, we held an event with Glamorgan Cricket, as the women played Kent in a T20 fixture ahead of the men's. The women's team turning professional as the country's first-class cricket team marks a major investment into women's cricket at this level, and we know they're passionate about the youth teams too.
The next challenge is how we ensure this focus lasts beyond the excitement of this summer of sport.
As Cymru women's head coach Rhian Wilkinson has said recently, her talented international side needs playing time throughout the year at club level. Five of the squad were unattached at the time of the tournament. A player can be fabulous but if they aren't getting the time on the pitch throughout the year our side will not see the growth of the current players or the next generation.
And so as we celebrate our national sides and the focus on the huge summer of women's sport in Wales and beyond, my caution is to not forget the need to invest and focus on women's sport the rest of the year and remember that we still have a need to develop sport for our young girls moving forward, particularly at the community level.
We updated the Wikipedia pages of the Wales Squad before the Ewros and one story was repeated time and again, even with the youngest players: the brilliance of the girls shone out in the local clubs and then many of them had to stop playing in their area because there weren't girls clubs available for them to move into in their older years.
If we want international success on the world stage, we must invest in our women and girls in the community.
www.cymruwomensport.org
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Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Japan's Miyu Yamashita and Rio Takeda pull away from the field at Women's British Open
PORTHCAWL, Wales (AP) — Miyu Yamashita started and finished with short birdie putts and was flawless in between as she posted a 7-under 65 on Friday to build a three-shot lead over Rio Takeda going into the weekend of the Women's British Open. The Japanese players, both among the top 15 in the women's world ranking, played in the same group at Royal Porthcawl and put on a show in the second round, matching great shots and big putts along the way that left the rest of the field far behind. Takeda was the only player within seven shots of Yamashita. Nelly Korda (72) and rising English star Lottie Woad (70) were among the top 10 on the leaderboard and still nine shots behind at the halfway point. Woad was on the cusp of contention until a triple bogey on the par-4 16th. 'There was a lot more good in it than bad,' Woad said. 'Played really well for 17 holes, just that one hole cost me a bit.' Yamashita was bogey-free and did most of her damage with four birdies in a five-hole stretch around the turn as she took advantage of an early start before stronger wind arrived. 'I didn't make any particular adjustments to my swing, but the wind was strong, so I think shots are important, as well as club selection and the direction I aim at the target,' Yamashita said. 'So things like that are important, so I played while keeping in mind the image I've been practicing so far.' Takeda, whose two LPGA titles include the Toto Japan Classic last year before she was a member, was slowed by a pair of bogeys. Takeda atoned for that with a superb approach into the par-5 ninth that settled within tap-in range for eagle. She shot 69. 'I was able to play calmly today, and I hope to focus on my game and play calmly again tomorrow,' Takeda said. Yamashita, who celebrates her 24th birthday on Saturday, was at 11-under 133. Chiara Tamburlini of Switzerland and Pajaree Anannarukarn of Thailand each shot 69 and were tied for third at 4-under 140, along with American Lindy Duncan (70). The cut was shaping up to be at 2-over 146. Brooke Henderson of Canada was right on the cut line until missing a 4-foot par putt on the windblown 17th, and then failing to make birdie on the par-5 closing hole. Also missing the cut were world No. 4 Ruoning Yin (77(, Rose Zhang (76) and U.S. Women's Open champion Maja Stark (78). Korda remains the No. 1 player in women's golf despite not winning this year, and she now faces a tall order with a nine-shot deficit for the last 36 holes. 'Honestly didn't really capitalize on anything in the calmer conditions on the front nine, then kind of got really windy on the back,' Korda said. 'Made a few more mistakes but bounced back with some birdies. Overall, I'm not going to complain with even par.' Woad made the best run at the Japanese duo until one swing and one nasty lie cost her. She had a 3-wood for her second shot into a strong wind on the par-4 16th. It sailed to the right into thick grass. Her first hack moved the golf ball only a few inches. She had to take a penalty shot for an unplayable lie, got that one on the green and two-putted for a triple bogey. She closed with two pars for a 70, a score that otherwise would seem satisfactory. 'I'd certainly take it now, but not when I was standing on the 16th tee,' Woad said with a smile. 'Yeah, just got to try to play well over the weekend. It's pretty packed, so I can move up a bit.' Everyone is chasing Yamashita, who led the Japan LPGA money list in 2022 and 2023 while winning five times in each of those seasons. She also finished one shot out of a playoff for the bronze medal in the Paris Olympics last year. For now, she is thinking only about keeping her rhythm in the wind. 'I haven't particularly worried about expected scores until now. I'm always thinking about competing for a high ranking in each tournament, and I just played with my day in mind,' Yamashita said. 'So I'm glad that my score and ranking worked out.' ___ AP golf:
New York Times
23 minutes ago
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Women's Open 2025: Nelly Korda is still No. 1, with the cheering section to prove it
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Cece and her dad left home 85 miles away in Chippenham, England, at 6 a.m. to ensure they would catch sight of Korda. A nice surprise was her catching sight of them. 'As soon as we got here we walked over to the putting green and Nelly was there,' Joe, 31, says. 'Cece was stood holding her sign and you could see the look in Nelly's eyes, this is why they do what they do.' Beatrice Pearce, an 11-year-old golfer from Leeds who travelled to Spain with her mother Holly to watch Korda in the 2023 Solheim Cup, also has a paper sign. It says 'Go Nelly' and features a Welsh dragon illustration. 'She's really cool and seems like a very down-to-earth person,' says Beatrice, who is hoping to return on Sunday to support Korda again. 'She is nice and normal and isn't a show off.' The crowd that followed Korda in their numbers on Friday are hoping she can pull herself into contention by Sunday. But they will be there either way as she tees off. 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He also stood out for the special green bib he wears, which signals Korda is the highest-ranked golfer on the planet. Her shot up an intimidating hill and onto the green at the sixth signalled her control of her golf swing and her power. Korda dropped the ball just at the back of the pin but was unable to execute the birdie opportunity – an unwanted theme of her week so far. Advertisement 'I didn't really capitalise on anything in the calmer conditions on the front nine,' Korda said. 'Then it got really windy on the back nine. I made a few more mistakes, but bounced back with some birdies. Overall, I'm not going to complain with even-par.' Beatrice was not alone with her 'We're sticking with Nelly' attitude when cheers went up in the distance for a Lottie Woad birdie. And that is what they did for five hours – stuck with her. Korda tried to stay warm by pulling on an extra pair of golf trousers and a Nike gilet. What she really needed was her putter to warm up and it did – kind of. 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Washington Post
24 minutes ago
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Japan's Miyu Yamashita and Rio Takeda pull away from the field at Women's British Open
PORTHCAWL, Wales — Miyu Yamashita started and finished with short birdie putts and was flawless in between as she posted a 7-under 65 on Friday to build a three-shot lead over Rio Takeda going into the weekend of the Women's British Open. The Japanese players, both among the top 15 in the women's world ranking, played in the same group at Royal Porthcawl and put on a show in the second round, matching great shots and big putts along the way that left the rest of the field far behind.
