Yamashita Wins Meijer LPGA Classic in Playoff Over Woad

Sunday's Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give delivered one of those finishes that reminds you why we watch this game. Miyu Yamashita entered the final round five shots back, posted a scorching 8-under 64, and then watched from the clubhouse as Lottie Woad's three-foot par putt on the 72nd hole caught the lip and spun out. What followed was a one-hole playoff at Blythefield Country Club in Belmont, Michigan, and Yamashita made the most of her second chance.

The Final Hole Drama

Woad looked like she had the tournament locked up. The 22-year-old Englishwoman had just holed out from a greenside bunker for birdie at the 17th — the kind of shot that typically seals championships. She walked to the 18th tee with a cushion and the finish line in sight.

Then came the par putt that will haunt her for a while. Three feet, slightly uphill, and it lipped out on the high side.

"Felt like I hit an OK putt," Woad said afterward. "Obviously, lipped out on the high side."

That's the cruel mathematics of putting. You can do everything right and still watch the ball horseshoe out. Meanwhile, Yamashita had already birdied the 18th in regulation to post the clubhouse target at 17-under 271. Woad matched that number, but under entirely different circumstances.

Yamashita's Remarkable Sunday

Let's talk about that final-round 64, because it was the kind of performance that wins tournaments before playoffs even enter the picture. Yamashita made nine birdies against a single bogey at the par-3 15th. When you're five shots back and posting numbers like that, you're giving yourself a chance regardless of what happens ahead of you.

The 24-year-old Japanese player, who already holds the AIG Women's Open title and was named the 2025 LPGA Rookie of the Year, said she wasn't thinking about winning when she teed off Sunday.

"I didn't think about like win today," Yamashita explained. "I just focused on playing just like every round. My putting was solid today and I was able to put together a really good round."

Before joining the LPGA Tour, Yamashita had already won 13 times on the JLPGA. This is someone who knows how to close, and her experience showed when the playoff materialized.

The Playoff

Both players returned to the par-5 18th for sudden death. Woad missed a longer birdie attempt, leaving the door open. Yamashita rolled in a four-foot birdie putt to claim her third LPGA Tour victory.

"I really didn't expect like it's going to be playoff, but once it did, I was able to reset mentally and focus on the task at hand," Yamashita said. "I'm glad I was able to take advantage of the opportunity and turn it into a win."

That mental reset is what separates tour players from the rest of us. One minute you're watching a tournament slip away, the next you're in a playoff with everything reset to zero. Yamashita handled it like someone with 16 professional wins on her resume.

What Woad Missed

The loss stings extra for Woad, who had won the Kroger Queen City Championship in Cincinnati just last month for her second LPGA Tour title. A victory at the Meijer would have made her the first Englishwoman since Karen Stupples in 2004 to win multiple times in the same LPGA season.

At 22, Woad has plenty of time to chase that milestone. But golf doesn't give you those opportunities back. She'll remember that three-footer for a long time.

The Takeaway

Yamashita's 64 featured nine birdies and showcased why she's one of the tour's most complete players
Woad's bunker hole-out at 17 looked like the winning shot until the par putt at 18 betrayed her
This marks Yamashita's third LPGA Tour victory, adding to her AIG Women's Open title
The finish demonstrates why you always post a number and wait — tournaments aren't over until someone holds the trophy