Miyuu Yamashita Stands Tall as She Tops Women's British Open

Deep rough, scattered “pot bunkers” (as small, deep sand traps are referred to) and strong winds. Golf majors are always held at challenging courses like this one for a reason. But Miyuu Yamashita overcame these obstacles to triumph at the 2025 Women’s British Open.

In fact, she was not the only one of Japan’s lady golfers to make their mark at the tournament. Minami Katsu tied for second place, and Rio Takeda tied for fourth.

After Hisako Higuchi won the US Women’s Open in 1977, winning another women’s major championship proved elusive for Japan’s female golfers for many years. That was true even for former United States tour money leader Ayako Okamoto and former world number one Ai Miyazato. Then, Hinako Shibuno won the Women’s British Open in 2019. After that, Japanese women began to dominate on the US ladies’ tour one after another. And now Yamashita has become the sixth Japanese player to win a major.

Miyuu Yamashita holds a press conference at the Japan National Press Club in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, on August 5. (©Sankei by Takumi Kamoshida)

‘Short’ and ‘Japanese’

After Yamashita made the deciding putt on the final hole, fellow Japanese players rushed over to her with champagne in hand. Among them were Ayaka Furue and Mao Saigo, both of whom had already won major tournaments. All three are rather short in stature: Furue is 153 centimeters tall, Saigo stands 158 cm, and Yamashita is merely 150 cm.

Even though they may not have the power to drive the ball long distances from the tee, they still achieve results by relying on their accurate shots and competitive spirit. After all, skill and effort know no limits.

Hideki Matsuyama, a men’s professional golfer, once said: “People might say Japanese players cannot win major tournaments due to their physique or whatever. But isn’t it just a misconception that we can’t win because we’re Japanese?”

Miyuu Yamashita won the AIG Women’s British Open with a total score of 11 under par, on August 3 at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in Wales. (©Kyodo)

Matsuyama proved his point by winning the 2021 Masters Tournament.

And Yamashita and others have been driving home the fact that size is no excuse for not coming out on top. Nevertheless, the “curse” of accepting a loss because the golfers were Japanese or small was not lifted overnight. Today’s players are actually expanding the path that pioneers like Higuchi, Okamoto, and Miyazato first paved.

The same pattern can be seen in Major League Baseball. The success of Hideo Nomo, Ichiro Suzuki, and Hideki Matsui set the stage for current players like Shohei Otani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Seiya Suzuki. It follows in the world of professional soccer as well. Kazuyoshi Miura and Hidetoshi Nakata might have been the first to challenge themselves on the international stage, but there are now countless Japanese players active in the top European leagues.

Lesson for Today’s International Climate

In 1949, during the postwar Occupation, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers General Douglas MacArthur personally welcomed Hironoshin Furuhashi back to Japan after he won consecutive races at the Amateur Athletic Union’s National Swimming Championships in Los Angeles. Their conversation was later published. In it, Macarthur made the following comment:

“Sports often reveal the true character of a nation. Your win indicates Japan will likely do well in the future when it faces important international responsibilities.”

There is a similar meaning to be found in the achievements of Miyuu Yamashita and other Japanese female golfers.

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(Read the editorial in Japanese.)

Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun