South Korean professional golfer Amy Yang has just won the Women’s PGA Tournament in Washington on Sunday, as well as grabbing a spot at the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
During the tournament, Yang played excellently through the first 15 holes, reaching 10 under for a seven-shot lead. At the start of the final round, she started with a two-shot lead and shot an even-par 72, and concluded the tournament by shooting a seven-under 281, winning the championship by three strokes.
“At one point I thought, ‘Will I ever win a major championship before I retire?” said Yang in an interview with CNN. “I finally did it and it’s just amazing.”
Yang’s victory comes after 75 previous major starts over the course of 18 years. During these attempts, she had finished inside the top-10 on 21 outings, and twice as a runner-up at the US Women’s Open in 2012 and 2015.
Yang is also the first South Korean to win during the LPGA tour list year, and the first to win a LPGA major since Chun In-gee in June 2022. At 34, Yang is also the oldest major winner for a LPGA tour since Angela Stanford won the 2018 Evian Championship at 40.
“I think it just speaks to what kind of person she is,” said fellow golfer Lydia Ko in an interview with Golfweek. “I said she’s one of the or the nicest person on tour. And when she says stuff it’s genuine.”
On top of these accomplishments and a trophy, Yang’s victory rewarded her with $1.56 million in prize money and a spot in the Paris Olympics next months, making it her second appearance in the summer olympics since Rio De Janeiro in 2016.
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