Golf

Diminutive star matches LPGA record in nine-stroke win

By AAP Newswire

Aug 24, 2026

Diminutive Japanese star Miyu Yamashita has matched the LPGA Tour's 72-hole scoring record in a wire-to-wire, nine-stroke victory in the Canadian Women's Open in Edmonton.

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The 150cm (4-foot-11) Yamashita made a birdie putt on the 18th for a four-under 66 and 23-under 257 total. Sei Young Kim also shot 257 in the 2018 Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic in Wisconsin, finishing at 31 under.

Six strokes ahead entering Sunday's final round, Yamashita pushed the margin to nine on the tree-lined Royal mayfair layout, breaking the tournament record of 262 set by Jin Young Ko in 2019 at Magna in Aurora, Ontario, after also setting 36- and 54-hole marks.

"I was nervous, nervous round, so my shot, my game, I trust my swing," Yamashita, 25, ‌said.

Yamashita's four LPGA Tour titles have come in four countries. She won the Meijer LPGA Classic in June in Michigan after taking the Women's British Open in Wales and Maybank Championship in Malaysia last season as the rookie of the year. She has 13 Japan LPGA victories.

A stroke ahead on Thursday after an opening with a course-record 62, Yamashita had a 64 on Friday afternoon to open a five-shot lead. She shot 65 on Saturday to push it to six.

Fellow Japanese player Yuri Yoshida finished a distant second at 14 under after a 69. Kim was another shot back after a 67.

Two Canadian teenagers completed mightily impressive performances in their national open.

Seventeen-year-old Anna Huang was the top Canadian, closing with a 65 to tie for fourth at 12 under.

Huang, a native of Vancouver, has been a revelation on the Ladies European Tour, where she's won ‌four times since last September, most recently the PIF London Championship earlier this month.

Aphrodite Deng, the 16-year-old amateur who won the 2025 US Girls' Junior, tied for seventh at 11 under after a 67.

Robyn Choi led to Australian contingent after surging with a 67 to tie for 17th at six under, one shot ahead of Grace Kim (68), while Karis Davidson (71, three under) tied 37th and Cassie Porter (72, two under), tied 44th.

World No. Nelly Korda had a 69 to get to five under.

Three spots on the US Solheim Cup were decided during the week, with captain Angela Stanford set to announce her three picks Monday for the September 11-13 matches in the Netherlands.

Allisen Corpuz wrapped up the last automatic place Friday, and Andrea Lee and Alison Lee took spots off the working ranking Sunday.