Back at Sahalee Country Club in Washington for the first time since 2016, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship had plenty of exciting storylines to look forward to:
- Would Brooke Henderson shoot another record 65 on this course enroute to victory?
- Would Lydia Ko top the leaderboard again and finish strong?
- Which players would officially qualify to represent their countries at the Olympics only a few weeks away?
We have answers to all those questions, and more. But first, let’s celebrate Amy Yang’s first win of the season – and her first major championship.
Amy Yang’s Win Honors Korean Heritage in Many Ways
When Yang sunk that tap-in putt to win the KPMG Championship, she solidified her spot on the Olympic team representing the Republic of Korea. She is the first Korean to win on the LPGA Tour in 2024 and is now the 6th player from Korea to win the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, helping Korea rank second in number of winners of this particular major.
This is Yang’s 75th start in her major championship career, signaling just how difficult it truly is to add another notch to one’s record. She has had 12 top-5 finishes in those 75 starts, so she had been flirting with a win for a while. Winning at Sahalee solidifies she’ll receive the first-place prize of $1.56 million, an incredible sum; her career earnings are just shy of Korea’s highest paid player, Inbee Park.
Speaking of records, Yang is now tied with Bernhard Langer in margin of victory at a major championship. Langer won the U.S. Senior Open in 2010 by three shots as well.
Yang’s Short Game Was on Fire This Week
One part of Yang’s golf game that was frequently commented on was her short game. From chipping in for birdie during the second round to chipping in again today on Hole #5, Yang stayed calm and collected even when some trouble hit on the back nine.
Yang said, “I just tried to stay in the moment and with all the techniques I learned from my coach – it worked out great.”
Yang was also able to hit a few key par-5 holes in two shots this week, allowing her to put her short game to good use in securing birdies. She was ranking first after three rounds in her scrambling statistic, making more than 86% of her up-and-downs.
How Did Henderson and Ko Fare at Sahalee This Year?
While both ladies made the cut this week, Ko had an average performance and ended up placing T46, with a solid +1 round today moving her up 16 spots. Henderson also had a near-even event, shooting +3 overall and placing T22.
Olympic Golf Team Updates
To qualify for the Olympics, you must rank in the top 15 of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings after a two-year period. This tournament was the final chance for players to move up in the rankings and qualify to represent their countries. Each team will have a maximum of four players.
The rankings are still being calculated officially, but we can say with certainty that Meghan Kang and Alison Lee will not be representing the United States after missing the cut this week. Nelly Korda and Lilia Vu are officially in, but we’re waiting to hear more on Rose Zhang.
Team Japan will likely have Yuka Saso leading the way, with Ayaka Furue and Miyu Yamashita waiting for the rankings to settle. Nasa Hatoaka is no longer in contention after missing the cut this week.
Team Sweden most likely has Maja Stark and Linn Grant on the team, with Madelene Sagstrom waiting for news. Anna Nordqvist missed the cut this week and no longer has any eligibility.
Yang came into today reminiscing about how badly she wanted to win a major championship, saying, “I mean, I grew up watching so many great players in the past, and I saw them winning all the major championships. I dreamed about playing out here because of them.”
Congratulations on securing your first major championship and good luck in Paris!
