03/08/2025

theSun on Sunday AUG 3, 2025

SPORTS 12

Yamashita rides into Women’s Open lead

Door wide open for 23-year-old as no major winners in top six on leaderboard

MIYU YAMASHITA of Japan shot the round of the week so far, a 7-under 65, to jump out to a three-stroke lead at the AIG Women’s Open yesterday in Porthcawl, Wales. Yamashita held third place after the first round at Royal Porthcawl and took control yesterday with a bogey-free, seven-birdie round. She hit 13 of 14 fairways in regulation and had four of her birdies in a five-hole stretch from Nos. 9-13. “Today was good overall, and my tee shots were very consis tent, so I was able to hit from the fairway,” Yamashita said. “I played really consistent golf today.” Yamashita is halfway home at 11 under 133, and her closest pursuer is countrywoman Rio Takeda – one of the first-round co-leaders – whose 69 brought her to 8-under for the week. After them, no player is better than 4 under. The four-way tie at 4-under features Lindy Duncan, Germany’s Laura Fuenfstueck, Pajaree Anannarukarn of McLaren dominate Hungaroring practice

was able to get an eagle. I was able to play calmly today, and I hope to focus on my game and play calmly again tomor row.”

Thailand and Chiara Tamburlini of Switzerland. None of the top six players on the leaderboard have won a major, so the door appears wide open for Yamashita, a 23-year-old whose 13 professional wins have come on the Japanese tour. particularly about expected scores until now,” Yamashita said of the tournament to date. “I’m always thinking about competing for a high ranking in each tournament, and I just played with my day in mind. So I’m glad that my score and ranking worked out.” Takeda, a two-time LPGA Tour win ner, eagled the par-5 ninth hole yester day after making a double bogey there in the first round “My shots were a little crooked today, but I was playing, hoping I could correct that early,” Takeda said. “The eagle putt was close, so I’m glad I worried “I haven’t

Miyu Yamashita. – REUTERSPIC

English phenom Lottie Woad was having an impressive day through 15 holes before disaster struck on the par-4 16th. She lost her second shot in thick rough, and she couldn’t advance it on her third stroke before opting to take an unplayable lie pen alty. Woad was 5-under for her round and the tournament up until that hole, but the resultant triple bogey sent her backward. She finished with a 70 and sits at 2-under. “I think it’s probably the tough

est hole on the course,” Woad said. “The tee shot is hard to hit the fairway, and then you’ve got 3-wood into a very strong wind. Anything that’s missing the target is going to be exaggerated. So (I) pushed it and got a pretty unlucky lie.” – Field Level Media

Young on top as lightning halts Wyndham

CAMERON YOUNG held a one stroke lead over defending champion Aaron Rai of England when the second round of the Wyndham Championship

French rookie Isack Hadjar fourth in the opening one but Aston Martin coming on strong in the second with Lance Stroll fourth and Fernando Alonso fifth. “McLaren seem to be quite a bit ahead of us but we will stay focused on ourselves and try to turn things around tomorrow,” said Leclerc. Double world champion Alonso had missed practice one due to back pain, with Brazilian reserve Felipe Drugovich standing in for him. Lewis Hamilton, winner a record eight times in Hungary with McLaren and Mercedes, was fifth and sixth on his return with Ferrari. “I’m still chasing grip, but we’re heading in a positive direction. There’s definitely more to extract ahead of qualifying,” said the Briton. Red Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen was ninth and 14th respectively in the sessions, with Japanese teammate Yuki Tsunoda 17th and ninth. “I don’t know what’s going on. It’s just undriveable, I can’t get any balance,” said Verstappen over the team radio at one point in the late afternoon. Verstappen was summoned to the stewards for a bizarre incident in which the four-times world champion threw a towel out of the car’s cockpit while on track at turn three. Red Bull were later reprimanded. – Reuters

shares the clubhouse lead with Mac Meissner at 12-under. Meissner fired a 7-under 63 to climb the leaderboard. Mark Hubbard is alone in fifth at 11 under following a 66. It is the final week for PGA Tour players to secure a spot in the top 70 of the FedEx Cup standings to qualify for the play offs. Meissner, for instance, is a distant No. 152 in the standings and must win in order to crack the top 70. Meissner feels he’s in a “not much to lose” sort of scenario. “If I happen to win this week, then I’ll be able to play the playoffs and that would be a dream,” he said.

“I don’t think it’s quite going to be the same situation this year,” Rai said. “I hope not, anyway. That was a lot of golf.” South Korea’s Im

LANDO NORRIS completed a Hungarian Grand Prix practice double yesterday as runaway leaders McLaren dominated both sessions while leaving something in reserve and almost colliding at the end. Norris was top of the timesheets in both sessions at the Hungaroring outside Budapest, with Formula One leader Oscar Piastri second and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc emerging as McLaren’s closest rival. The Briton was 0.019 of a second faster than teammate Piastri, who has a 16 point lead after 13 of 24 races, in first practice and 0.291 quicker in the late afternoon when he set a best lap of one minute 15.624 seconds. “The car felt good from the first couple of laps,” said Norris, who took pole position last year but then lost out to first time winner Piastri. “I’ve got a good feel for what we need from the car, so we’ll work on that overnight and make sure we’re in the best possible position going into qualifying tomorrow.” At the end of the session, with the chequered flag already waved, Norris locked up coming out of the pits for a practice start as Piastri, winner in Belgium last weekend, went around the outside at turn one. Leclerc was third fastest in both sessions, with Racing Bulls’

was suspended due to lightning yesterday in Greensboro, North Carolina. Once the second round is com pleted, the third round will tee off in

Sungjae shot 64 for the second straight day and

threesomes at Nos. 1 and 10 in order to fit in the next 18 holes. Young and Rai were among those still on the course when play was called. Young had just birdied Nos. 14 and 15 to get to

7 under for the round and 14-under for the tournament. Rai had six birdies through 13 holes com pleted.

“If not, I’ll get to take some time off, some much needed time off, recoup and get ready for the fall.” Joel Dahmen, the first-round leader

“Obviously I played some nice golf through 32-33 holes, what ever it is,” said Young, who’s seeking his first win on the PGA Tour. “Yeah, I’m really just trying to build on what I’ve done through out the course of the year. Nothing really changes (on the weekend).” Rai is in a familiar position after earning his first PGA Tour win at the Wyndham last year, when weather delays early in the week meant he and others had to play 36 holes on Sunday.

thanks to a white-hot 61, was even par through 10 holes yesterday to remain at 9-under. Notables include

Cameron Young. – REUTERSPIC

Tony Finau at 5 under following a 65, Rickie Fowler at 3 under after a 68 and US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley likely to miss the cut after a 72 dropped him to even par. – Field Level Media