South Korea’s Amy Yang claimed her maiden major title at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship on Sunday, finally breaking through in her 75th major start.
Yang won the third major of the 2024 LPGA Tour season with an even-par final round for a seven-under-par 281 total at Sahalee Country Club. The 34-year-old finished three shots ahead of compatriot Jin Young Ko, American Lilia Vu and Japan’s Miyu Yamashita.
“I’ve lost for words right now. It’s all the hard work our team did together, and I’m so grateful for that. All four rounds, it was tough out there, but I just trusted what I prepared, and just did my best all week,” said Yang.
Yang began the final round with a two-shot lead over Yamashita and American Lauren Hartlage. With five birdies against two bogeys on her first 13 holes, Yang moved to 10-under-par and looked to be too far ahead for anyone to catch.
However, a bogey at 16 and double bogey at the par-three 17th, when she hit her tee shot into the water, left Yang with a three-shot lead playing Sahalee’s par-five closing hole. Steadying her nerves, she finished with a regulation par to seal her major breakthrough and sixth LPGA Tour title.
Prior to this, Yang had 21 top-10s in the Majors since turning professional in 2006, including two runner-up finishes. At the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open, she went into the final round with a three-stroke lead but lost by one to compatriot In Gee Chun.
“I always wanted to win a major and I came close several times. I started doubting myself if I was ever going to win a major before I retire, because I’ve been on tour quite a while. I am so grateful and very, very happy to win a major,” said Yang, whose biggest previous win came at the 2023 CME Group Tour Championship.
With the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship being the final counting event for qualification for this year’s Paris Olympics, Yang’s win earned her a spot in the Republic of Korea team for the golf event at Le Golf National in early August. This will be Yang’s second Olympic Games following Rio 2016, when she finished just out of the medals in joint fourth place.
“That was one of my biggest goals for this year. Missing cuts the past few tournaments saw my world ranking go down, so I wasn’t sure if winning this was enough to make the team. But I made it, so I’m very grateful for that,” said Yang.
Hartlage and fellow American Ally Ewing tied for fifth place on three-under-par. American star Lexi Thompson, who will be stepping away from professional golf at the end of the 2024 season, finished in a tie for ninth on one-under-par after shooting 43 on the front nine and 31 on the back nine.
| LEADING SCORES | ||
| 281 (-7) | Amy Yang (KOR) | 70-68-71-72 |
| 284 (-4) | Lilia Vu (USA) | 75-70-68-71 |
| Jin Young Ko (KOR) | 72-68-73-71 | |
| Miyu Yamashita (JPN) | 71-70-70-73 | |
| 285 (-3) | Ally Ewing (USA) | 72-70-72-71 |
| Lauren Hartlage (USA) | 73-69-69-74 | |
