In a breakout moment during her rookie season on the LPGA Tour, Miyu Yamashita captured her first career victory, and her first major title at the 2025 AIG Women’s Open. Here’s her winners interview and what gear she used to win the tournament.
Can you tell us how you’re feeling now?
MIYU YAMASHITA: This was a goal of mine from a very young age to win a major championship, and to be able to do that is a very satisfying feeling, very special.
Q. I understand that Miyu means I have a beautiful dream. So could I just ask you if winning the Women’s Open is a part of that dream?
MIYU YAMASHITA: This has been a goal of mine, something I’ve worked towards my whole life, a dream you could say. It’s been the result of hard work every single day, making changes, making improvements, and to be able to do it now and call myself a champion is a very special thing.
Q. When you arrived at the course Friday morning and saw it was very still and calm, were you aware it was a golden opportunity to make a big step towards victory?
MIYU YAMASHITA: Obviously the conditions do dictate how you can score around the golf course and make a big difference. On that day to be able to shoot, post such a good score was something that was fantastic.
Q. What did you know about Wales before you came here this week?
MIYU YAMASHITA: I knew that there was a lot of nature, a lot of wildlife. So to be able to be here in the nature and in the countryside was something that I was looking forward to and something that was great to experience this week.
Q. Miyu, I know there was a lot of emotion from you when you had that celebratory moment with a lot of the other Japanese players. Where did that emotion come from?
MIYU YAMASHITA: It was an amazing feeling for them to stay and celebrate with me, something that was so great for me. Also just something that I appreciate. To have so many Japanese players doing so well at the moment is something that provides a motivation for me and keeps me going. For us all to support each other is something that I’m really looking forward to in the future as well.
Q. There have been a handful of Japanese major winners the past couple of seasons. Seeing your fellow countrywomen have this much success in these tournaments, how much did that motivate you to go out and get a major win of your own?
MIYU YAMASHITA: It was amazing. So great to see Saigo win earlier this year and just kind of push me a little bit harder. To join that elite group is something that’s very unique, and it’s going to be an amazing feeling.
Q. Now you have a berth on the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown Japan team, Team Japan. How excited are you about that opportunity to represent your country later this season?
MIYU YAMASHITA: The International Crown is something I was aiming towards. I really, really wanted to be part of that team. So now that’s a possibility I can really look forward to representing my country and doing the best I can.
Q. What was it like not having your best stuff yesterday and still being able to grind through and still maintain the lead?
MIYU YAMASHITA: As you say, yesterday I didn’t quite have my best stuff. After the round, I spoke to my father, who’s my coach, and we went through a few things just in my swing and my game, and I’m really happy with how I made the adjustments today to get the victory.
Q. Did you go to the practice range and work on some things to feel like you solved some things before you got going today?
MIYU YAMASHITA: Yesterday after the round, we did go to the practice range, and it still wasn’t quite feeling as I thought it should be. When we got home, we were together, we looked through some of the finer details on the swing, found some points to improve, and today it felt a lot better just from the get go.
Miyu, thank you very much. We look forward to celebrating you as our champion for the next year.
MIYU YAMASHITA: Thank you so much.
Here’s a look at what Miyu Yamashita used to win the AIG Women’s Open:
Srixon ZXi 9° Driver
Srixon ZX Mk II (3, 5) Fairway Wood
Srixon ZX Mk II (4, 5) Hybrid
Srixon ZXi5 Irons (6i)
Srixon ZXi7 Irons (PW -7i)
Cleveland Golf RTZ (48°, 52°, 58°)
Srixon Z-STAR XV Golf Ball
