Maja Stark wins 2025 U.S. Women's Open
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NBC Sports
14 hours ago
- NBC Sports
Almost forced to withdraw, Rianne Malixi among early leaders in U.S. Women's Amateur defense
A dozen players have won consecutive U.S. Women's Amateur trophies, though the last to do so, Danielle Kang, won her second of back-to-back titles 14 years ago. Rianne Malixi could add herself to that list Sunday at Bandon Dunes. Malixi, the Philippines star who won not only last year's U.S. Women's Amateur at Southern Hills but also the U.S. Girls' Junior a few weeks prior, opened her title defense of the former with a 4-under 68 Monday on Bandon's namesake layout on the Oregon coast. Malixi's first-round score was matched by fellow co-leaders, Arizona's Julia Misemer and Texas' Cindy Hsu. Malixi's defense almost was over before it started. She had been awaiting approval of her student visa – the 18-year-old will start her college career at Duke later this month – when a typhoon delayed an already lengthy process. 'Worst-case scenario, I am not going to play,' Malixi said. 'The best-case scenario is I might miss the practice rounds and head straight to the first round. Then, boom, I got a notification that my passport is ready and visa was ready.' She picked up her documents six hours before her flight last Thursday from the Philippines to Portland, Oregon. She arrived at Bandon on Saturday afternoon and was able to sneak in nine holes before getting in a full 18 on Sunday. Malixi is competing in her first amateur event since the Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific in early March, when she made it through just five holes before withdrawing with what Malixi described as a back strain. Later in March, Malixi withdrew from the Augusta National Women's Amateur on the eve of the first round after her ailing back limited her to about 40-50% in the practice round. She immediately shut it down for three weeks, traveling to Australia to see her physical therapist and also visiting a chiropractor. 'I was very mis-aligned, and hitting 400 balls a day made it worse, so I had to rest,' Malixi said. She didn't compete again until the U.S. Women's Open in late May at Erin Hills, where she shot 79-78 to miss the cut. She also missed cuts in her other two starts this summer, at the JLPGA's Ai Miyazato Suntory Ladies Open (76-72) and Amundi Evian Championship (74-72). It was fair to say that Monday's opening round by the third-ranked amateur was a pleasant surprise. 'To be honest, I haven't been feeling 100% lately,' Malixi said. 'I played a couple of majors, Evian and U.S. Women's Open, but I didn't play well. I am just happy enough to be playing 18 holes and 36 holes a couple of days ago. I haven't been shooting well, but today was eye-opening for me.' Malixi didn't record a bogey while adding short birdie makes at Nos. 3, 9 and 13, plus a 25-foot birdie conversion at No. 17. Malixi estimated she hit three drives into fairway bunkers where she had to lay up on par-4s before wedging close with her third shots to set up stress-free pars. The player whom Malixi beat in both USGA finals last year, 16-year-old Asterisk Talley, was among those at 3 under, along with Wake Forest grad and current Golf Channel on-course reporter Emilia Doran, Texas A&M incoming freshman Scarlett Schremmer, Auburn's Anna Davis and N.C. State grad Lauren Olivares, who in 2023 became the first player in NCAA women's golf history to shoot 60. Talley is fresh off a victory at the Girls Junior PGA Championship in Indiana. Malixi's fellow Duke newcomer, Avery McCrery, was part of a large group at 2 under. Princeton's Catherine Rao also carded 70, though she turned in 6 under before coming in with a birdie-less 40 on the back nine. World No. 1 amateur Kiara Romero shot 1 under, as did reigning U.S. Girls' Junior champ Aphrodite Deng.
USA Today
19 hours ago
- USA Today
Never too early to plan: Oak Hill already preparing to host U.S. Women's Open in 2037
The Oak Hill Country Club in Pittsford will host the 92nd edition of the U.S. Women's Open in 2037. Having previously hosted seven men's majors, including three U.S. Opens and the 1995 Ryder Cup, this event will mark the first time a major women's tournament has been played at the club. It will also be the seventh to be hosted in New York. "Major championship golf is in the DNA of Oak Hill, and we are thrilled to bring the U.S. Women's Open tothe club for the first time," said the U.S. Golf Association chief championships officer, John Bodenhamer, in a press release. "Oak Hill has long been a proven stage for some of golf's biggest moments, and we are proud to add the U.S. Women's Open to its storied history." Oak Hill has witnessed some of the most historic scenes in recent golfing history. From legend Arnold Palmer paying a visit, Curtis Strange becoming the first player to win back-to-back championships since 1950 following his win in '89, and the presence of a modern star and local fan favorite, Rory McIlroy, just two years ago during the 2023 PGA Championship. The club was founded in 1901 before moving to its current location in 1926. The course was restored in 2019 by Andrew Green. Rodrigo Feijao is an intern for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, focusing on sports-related stories and local music. He can be found on Instagram @rfeijao_777 and can be reached at RFeijao@
NBC News
2 days ago
- NBC News
Miyu Yamashita of Japan wins the Women's British Open for her first major title
PORTHCAWL, Wales — Miyu Yamashita of Japan captured her first major title Sunday when she withstood a charge by Charley Hull by not making a bogey until the outcome of the Women's British Open was no longer in doubt. She closed with a 2-under 70 for a two-shot victory. Yamashita holed two big par putts on the back nine at Royal Porthcawl, the last one when Hull had closed to within one shot of the lead. Her final test was the 401-yard 16th, one of the toughest on the course. Yamashita, who turned 24 on Saturday, drilled her drive down the middle and found the green, nearly holing a 45-foot putt. That gave her a three-shot lead with two holes to play. Her final act was a tap-in for par to finish on 11-under 277, and she raised both arms to celebrate. Yamashita wiped away tears as she headed to the scoring trailer. 'To be part of such a moment in history is something very, very special,' Yamashita said through an interpreter at the trophy presentation. Hull gave it her best shot. She started the final round three shots behind, made three birdies in a four-hole stretch to get into the mix and then holed a 20-foot birdie on the 14th to get within one shot of the lead. Behind her on the course, Yamashita hit into a bunker off the tee at the par-5 13th, blasted out and still had a long way for her third, missing the green to the left. She chipped weakly to 18 feet and buried the par putt. She also poured in an 8-foot par putt to stay at 12 under, right after Hull got to 11 under. The English star blinked first. Hull didn't get any help from the wind on her tee shot on the 16th, which found a pot bunker and left her no chance of reaching the green. Her third shot bounded off the back of the green, and she had to make a 20-footer to escape with bogey. Hull runner-up again Hull bogeyed the 17th, and her chances were done. She closed with a 69 and finished as a runner-up in a major for the fourth time. Minami Katsu was never seriously in the mix, but her closing birdie gave her a 69 to tie for second. 'I felt pretty good about how I fought back over the weekend,' said Hull, who was 11 shots behind after two rounds. 'I don't feel like I've actually mucked it up by mishitting any shots, which I think everybody can probably agree, you know what I mean? Like I played so solid.' A Lim Kim, the 2020 U.S. Women's Open champion, hit wedge to 5 feet for birdie on the second hole to tie Yamashita for the lead. But she made a series of blunders, starting with a three-putt on the third hole, and fell back. She had six bogeys in her round of 73 and tied for fourth with Rio Takeda (71). 'I love the challenge because still now a little pain in my heart, but that is good motivation for me,' Kim said. 'So I'm going to keep working on it.' Japan's success Four players from Japan now have won the last nine majors in women's golf, and this was the second year there were two Japanese major champions. Mao Saigo won the first major at the Chevron Championship. Ayaka Furue (Evian Championship) and Yuka Saso (U.S. Women's Open) won majors last year. Yamashita became a first-time winner on the LPGA Tour, extending a streak in which there has not been a multiple winner through 20 tournaments to start the year. There also is likely a change in the world ranking. Nelly Korda closed with a 75, and projections indicate she will fall to No. 2 behind Jeeno Thitikul. Korda had been No. 1 since March 2024. She tied for 36th and now has gone 14 tournaments without a win dating to last November. This would be the second time Thitikul is No. 1 in the women's world ranking. She also was No. 1 for two weeks in the fall of 2022. Yamashita didn't have the best birthday, at least inside the ropes, when she struggled off the tee and on the greens in a round of 74 that left her clinging to a one-shot lead. But she stayed on the range with her father until late into the evening, and she found a fix. Spotlight on Woad Lottie Woad, coming off a victory in the Women's Scottish Open in her professional debut, closed Sunday with a 71 and tied for eighth. In her last four events, Woad has won the Women's Irish Open and missed a playoff by one shot in the Evian Championship, both as an amateur. She has a win and a top 10 in her two starts as a pro. 'I don't think it affected my golf, but it was definitely a lot more attention, a lot more eyes on me,' Woad said. 'I feel like I handled it pretty well overall and was just sticking to my game, just trying to focus on the prep really and not let it distract me too much.'
