Yang Proves a Cut Above During Annus Mirabilis

Lytham, England: Yang Yun-seo appears destined to enjoy a long and successful career among the elite female golfers who play for pay. With her languid swing and laidback demeanour, the lithe Korean teenager has all the attributes to succeed at the very highest level of the game. Fame and fortune beckons.

And whatever she may go on to achieve in her future endeavours on the fairways of the world, she’ll be able to trace it all back to 2026.

By any measure, this has been an annus mirabilis for Yang during which she’s matured into a world-class talent, ready to stamp her mark on the global game.

Since turning 18 on January 3, she’s elevated her game to new heights and seen her stock soar, performing with distinction from France to New Zealand and England to the United States. In the process, she’s worked her way upto 15th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and nailed down a place in the Korean team for October’s Asian Games in Japan.

The catalyst came at Royal Wellington Golf Club in February when she created history as the first Korean to win the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP). Her landmark, wire-to-wire, eight-shot victory over her compatriot Oh Soo-min tied the WAAP record for the largest margin of victory.

It served as a pre-cursor for what was to come. She tied fourth at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in early April before embarking on a fabulous Major championship odyssey, all courtesy of that WAAP win which secured her exemptions into the Chevron Championship, the Amundi Evian Championship and the AIG Women’s Open.

Having finished tied 38th at the Chevron in America in April and joint 41st at the Evian in France last month, Yang arrived on England’s northwest coast for this week’s 50th AIG Women’s Open with the target of completing a hat-trick of Major championship cuts.

With rounds of 70 and 76, Yang achieved her aim, right on the cut-off mark of four-over 146.

Her assessment of a round in which she bogeyed the opening three holes and four of the first six was typically under stated. “I wasn’t really nervous. It was more windy in the second round than the first and I lost some strokes because I felt a bit anxious.”

There were no signs of anxiety on day three as she compiled a one-over 72 to rise 15 rungs on the leaderboard to equal 40th, giving her a presentable opportunity to better her best Major finish to date and follow in the footsteps of Jeeno Thitikul by winning the Smyth Salver, awarded to the leading amateur.

Of the seven amateurs in the starting line-up only Yang and Spaniard Paula Martin Sampedro, the AIG Women’s Open low amateur last year who is currently second in the WAGR, made it through to the weekend. After 54 holes, Sampedro holds a two-stroke advantage. It’s game on.

Yang is sanguine about her chances. She said: “It would be great to win low amateur, but if someone else plays better, there’s not much I can do. I’ll just do my best.

“Being able to play all four days at three Major championships has been an incredible experience for me. Winning the WAAP has opened up so many great opportunities. I’m learning a lot just by playing in these events.”