Amy Yang in shock as ‘unexpected’ KPMG Women's PGA Championship victory sends her to Paris Olympics
Amy Yang won the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club in Seattle last month. This was the South Korean golfer’s first Major title in 75 attempts. With the win, the 34-year-old secured a ticket to the Paris Olympics.
Yang has since admitted to being shocked by her last-minute entry to her country’s Olympic squad. The LPGA Tour veteran, speaking in an interview with Korea’s JoongAng Daily, revealed that she “didn’t even expect victory” at the Major.
The golfer, who won her sixth LPGA title at the event, noted that she ‘had given up’ on the Olympic dream this year and ‘still cannot believe the result.’
Amy Yang told JoongAng Daily on Tuesday:
“I was essentially thinking that I would not be able to go to Paris at all, and I didn’t even expect victory… I failed to make the cut in two tournaments in a row before the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, and I was really worried as my shots were not so good. I knew that I would barely secure a Paris Olympic ticket by winning, but honestly, I had given up. I never expected to win, which is why I still cannot believe this result.”
Amy Yang shot up from 25th to fifth place on the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings after the KPMG Women's PGA Championship victory. Her maiden Major victory opened up a slot on South Korea’s Paris Games side alongside Ko Jin-young and Kim Hyo-joo.
It is pertinent to note that Yang made her Olympic debut in 2016 at the Rio Games. The LPGA veteran finished fourth at the event. She finished one stroke over bronze medalist Shanshan Feng of China, while LPGA Hall of Famer Park In-bee bagged the gold.
The golf tournament at the Paris Olympics is set to tee off on August 7. Ahead of the big Paris outing, Yang will tee it up at the Amundi Evian Championship co-sanctioned by the LPGA and Ladies European Tour in France next week.
Amy Yang on winning her first Major at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship
Yang won the KPMG Women's PGA Championship by beating the likes of compatriot Jin Young Ko, American Lilia Vu and Japan's Miyu Yamashita. The LPGA veteran shot a level-par 72 to finish on seven under in the final round to finish three strokes over the runner-up and claim her first Major title.
The ace golfer, competing in her 75th Major, carded a seven-under-par, 281, and became the first Korean golfer to win on the Tour this season.
Speaking about her game at the Major, Amy Yang said, as quoted by JoongAng Daily:
“That is just how I play. I get nervous in the beginning but find momentum through the halfway mark, but I get nervous again in the end. My heart was pumping throughout the fourth round. I had a hard time calming myself down, but fortunately I was able to win as I had already stretched a margin with the one in second place.”
It is pertinent to note that Amy Yang made her Tour debut in 2008. The golfer’s best results at Majors came in 2012 and 2015, where she finished as runner-up in the U.S. Women’s Open. She finally broke the deadlock and clinched her maiden Major title.