Maguire struggles Yang wins first major

Leona Maguire struggled to a closing round of 76 at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Sahalee Golf Club as South Korea’s Amy Yang survived a late stumble to claim her first major title.

That left the Cavan woman on four-over-par overall which was good enough to see her finish tied 24th after a week where her challenge for a first major title never really caught fire.

Maguire had five bogeys on the testing layout and just a solitary birdie on the par-three 17th having started the day on level par overall.

LEADERBOARD

Yang, who took a two-shot lead into the final round, carded a closing 72 to finish seven under par, three shots clear of compatriot Jin Young Ko, American Lilia Vu and Japan’s Miyu Yamashita.

The 34-year-old’s victory came in her 75th major, the most since Angela Stanford won the 2018 Evian Championship in her 76th major start.

Yang, who had recorded 19 top-10 finishes in majors before this week, made the ideal start with a birdie at the first and recovered from a bogey on the third with further birdies on the fifth and eighth.

The eighth proved a crucial hole as rivals Yamashita and Lauren Hartlage both made double bogeys on the 426-yard par four, Hartlage having also taken six on the previous hole after thinning a bunker shot across the green.

Yang followed a bogey on the 10th with birdies on the 11th and 13th to effectively seal the win before a bogey on the 16th and a double bogey on the 17th – where she found water off the tee – reduced her margin of victory.

“I’m lost for words right now,” Yang told NBC.

“All the hard work our team did together, I’m so grateful for that. All four rounds was tough out there but I just trusted what I prepared and I did my best all week.

“I always wanted to win a major and came close several times and I started doubting myself if I was ever going to win a major before I retire and I’m so grateful and very, very happy to win one.”