The 2025 LPGA season continues to deliver with Sunday excitement. No storyline is hotter right now than the breakout of Lottie Woad, who has gone from English amateur standout to pro phenom in less than a month, earning over $500K the last two weekends, including dominating in her first pro event, finishing -21 to win the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open. She has quickly proven she belongs on the LPGA Tour.
This weekend, it was rookie standout Miyu Yamashita from Japan who held off Charley Hull and Minami Katsu to take her first LPGA championship and major win at the AIG Women’s Open at Porthcawl, shooting -11 and taking home a tidy $1.46M for the weekend. Through a translator after the match, fans learned that Miyu means “beautiful dream,” and Miyu told reporters that winning the Women’s Open was indeed a goal that she has worked hard her whole life to achieve.
We cannot mention enough how talented these ladies on the LPGA Tour really are. Watching their smooth and controlled swings gives any golfer something to emulate. One of the commentators mentioned how important it is to maintain a consistent, even tempo in the golf swing, especially during stressful moments in the round, and went on to commend Yamashita for maintaining her composure and swing tempo even when Hull was taking advantage of her +2 third-round score at the Open.
Top 10 Finishers the Last Two Weeks
AIG Women’s Open – July 31 to August 3 – Porthcawl, Mid Glamorgan, Wales
| Finish | Player | Score | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miyu Yamashita – JPN | -11 | $1.46M |
| T2 | Charley Hull – ENG | -9 | $772,391 |
| T2 | Minami Katsu – JPN | -9 | $772,391 |
| T4 | Rio Takeda – JPN | -7 | $452,217 |
| T4 | A Lim Kim – KOR | -7 | $452,217 |
| T6 | Wei-Ling Hsu – TPE | -6 | $302,157 |
| T6 | Megan Khang – USA | -6 | $302,157 |
| T8 | Lottie Woad – ENG | -4 | $288,359 |
| T8 | Stephanie Kyriacou – AUS | -4 | $288,359 |
| T8 | Paula Martin Sampedro (a) – ESP | -4 | $288,359 |
Highlights from Sunday, August 3, 2025
Rookie Yamashita impressed by staying calm, cool, and consistent late into the weekend while several players made a run to overtake her. Too little, too late.
Hull’s fourth runner-up finish in a major. She is right there, but she will have to wait until next year since this is the final major of the season.
Amateur Paula Martin Sampedro finished T8, shooting -4 for the tournament and finishing 6-under on the final nine holes with six birdies. How about that for a strong finish?
ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open – July 24 to 27 – Gailes, Ayrshire, Scotland
| Finish | Player | Score | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lottie Woad – ENG | -21 | $300,000 |
| 2 | Hyo Joo Kim – KOR | -18 | $167,294 |
| T3 | Sei Young Kim | -14 | $97,588 |
| T3 | Julia Lopez Ramirez – ESP | -14 | $97,588 |
| 5 | Nelly Korda – USA | -13 | $66,918 |
| 6 | Nanna Koerstz Madsen – DEN | -11 | $57,624 |
| 7 | Paula Reto – RSA | -10 | $52,047 |
| T8 | Mi Hyang Lee | -9 | $45,541 |
| T8 | Ariya Jutanugarn – THA | -9 | $45,541 |
| T10 | Hye-Jin Choi – KOR | -8 | $39,035 |
Highlights from Sunday, July 27, 2025
Not only did amateur-turned-pro Woad win her first pro LPGA event, she did it by shooting 67-65-67-68 and tying the tournament record of -21. She finished well ahead of the majority of the field, and three strokes ahead of closest finisher and ten-year veteran Hyo Joo Kim.
2025 LPGA Majors Wrap-Up and What’s Next
Winners of the 2025 LPGA Major Tournaments:
| Major | 2025 Winner |
|---|---|
| Chevron Championship | Mao Saigo |
| U.S. Women’s Open | Maja Stark |
| KPMG Women’s PGA Championship | Minjee Lee |
| Amundi Evian Championship | Grace Kim |
| AIG Women’s Open | Miyu Yamashita |
CME Globe and Race to the CME Globe
With the five majors completed, the focus now shifts fully to the season finale, the CME Group Tour Championship and the Race to the CME Globe. LPGA members accumulate points throughout the season in every official LPGA tournament, and it culminates in Naples, Florida, with the CME Group Tour Championship.
CME Globe points are earned by members who make the cut in LPGA official events, with more awarded for major wins. For all events without a cut, points are awarded to members who complete all rounds of the tournament. For the Dow Championship, points are awarded to all team members who make the cut.
Current CME Globe Point Standings as of August 3, 2025:
- Jeeno Thitikul: 2,204,950 points, 1 win, 8 top-10 finishes
- Minjee Lee: 1,925,295 points, 1 win, 5 top-10 finishes
- Rio Takeda: 1,659,118 points, 1 win, 7 top-10 finishes
- Miyu Yamashita: 1,583,528 points, 1 win, 7 top-10 finishes
- Hyo Joo Kim: 1,471,792 points, 1 win, 5 top-10 finishes
- Angel Yin: 1,404,800 points, 1 win, 6 top-10 finishes
- Mao Saigo: 1,370,692 points, 1 win, 5 top-10 finishes
- Nelly Korda: 1,360,396 points, 0 wins, 5 top-10 finishes
- Somi Lee: 1,283,892 points, 1 win, 4 top-10 finishes
- Hye-Jin Choi: 1,208,486 points, 0 wins, 6 top-10 finishes
Minjee Lee claimed her second 2025 Rolex Annika Major Award, rewarding her consistency and high finishes in all five major tournaments this year. The Rolex Annika Major Award is named after LPGA great Annika Sörenstam and is awarded annually to the player with the best overall performance across all five LPGA major championships in a season. To earn the award, winners must have at least one major victory and earn the most points based on final placements: 60 points for 1st, 24 for 2nd, 18 for 3rd, and down to 2 points for 10th. Lee’s first-place finish in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship not only added $1.8M toward her now $18M in lifetime earnings, but also solidified her as a contender for this award.
Rolex sponsors several LPGA awards including Rolex Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year. After today’s win at the AIG, Miyu Yamashita nudged fellow rookie and Japanese golfer Rio Takeda out of first place for the Rookie Award. Lee is currently in a tight race with Jeeno Thitikul and Yamashita for Player of the Year as well.
For the Betting Crowd
Want smart money moves? Here’s this week’s Sandman Sports cheat sheet:
Lock It In: Minjee Lee – Having banked one major and fighting to close the season strong for the Rolex Player of the Year, she is not going to quit. Top 5 is a smart bet.
Hot Hand, Hot Tip: This week’s winner, rookie Miyu Yamashita, is running hot with her first major win and back-to-back top-10 finishes. Definitely worth considering.
Watchlist: Personal favorite – Lottie Woad. This young pro is fearless and still undervalued by oddsmakers. She may hit a few bogeys, but she is guaranteed to exceed them with birdies.
Bettor Beware: Charley Hull – She is a knockin’, and it is only a matter of time before she lets herself in for a win. Consider waiting until she makes the cut.
Parting Shot
With the CME Globe and Rolex rankings still up for grabs, there is still plenty of LPGA golf left to play this season. While the ladies are off this coming weekend, play picks back up at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Oregon, for the Standard Portland Classic with a $2M purse. Right now, the field is missing Minjee Lee, Jeeno Thitikul, and Nelly Korda, but they have until August 11, 2025 to jump in.
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