Welcome to this week’s Golf Insider, everyone!
The LPGA and LET are both in the process of kicking off their bout of tournaments in Asia, with the LPGA’s getting underway this week at the Buick LPGA Shanghai. The LET’s started last week at the 2026 Aramco Korea Championship. At this event at New Korea Country Club, Miyu Yamashita, a four-time winner on the LPGA Tour, claimed her second Ladies European Tour title and third win of the season.
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Yamashita held the tournament lead after 36 holes and didn’t give it up. Her first-round 67 and second-round 68 boosted her to a two-stroke lead going into the weekend at 9-under-par. Yamashita’s second round card was clean, holding no bogeys.
“I like this course. Today was a no bogey round. My tee shots and second shots were good. My shots were very nice today compared to yesterday,” Yamashita said to the LET on Oct. 9.
The 25-year-old from Osaka, Japan used this admiration of the golf course to post another 68 on Saturday. She once again got off to a hot start with a birdie on the par-4 1st hole at New Korea. But then, a bogey dropped her back to even-par on the day. With Yani Tseng and Celine Herbin-Marshall both making charges, the lead was shortened to one shot.
Tseng posted a third-round 66 (-6) to climb to solo second place at 12-under-par. Herbin-Marshall also found a great round with a 65 (-7) to get within two. Yamashita’s lead was less and less safe as the weekend progressed. It all came down to Sunday, where Yamashita ended up riding the waves of momentum and coming out on top.
In Yamashita’s course record-setting final round, she carded seven birdies and one eagle. Her 9-under-par 63 propelled her even further ahead of the field at the top of the leaderboard, but there was one other player who needed to get her two cents in.
Czechia’s Sára Kousková also set the course record with a final-round 63 (-9). Kousková’s round was vital, as she moved from a tie for fourth place to solo second place — three shots ahead of third place, at that.
“It’s been such a good day, it’s just topped off a really good week. I’m really happy with how we played and I couldn’t have done much better golf today honestly,” Kousková said to the LET after coming into the clubhouse with the course record on Oct. 11.
“I couldn’t catch [Miyu] even with this because I thought if I have a really low one today, it could be good. I’m still so pumped. I tried to put one foot in front of the other and stayed really calm during the whole day.”
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Indeed, Yamashita was unable to be caught. Across the entire week, Yamashita only posted two bogeys — one in the first round and one in the third. This ultimately was the key to her victory, and it often is in each tournament she plays. On the LPGA Tour, Yamashita leads her peers in the strokes gained putting and scrambling statistics. She also ranks first in birdies, bogey avoidance, rounds in the 60s and birdie to bogey ratio. This isn’t surprising for the 2025 LPGA Rookie of the Year who was also vying for the Vare Trophy for scoring average that same season.
Yamashita’s ability to avoid blunders, post low rounds and minimize big numbers certainly gives her a leg up on the competition. We’ve seen this display on the LPGA Tour, but Yamashita has now proven it on the LET.
Next, the LET heads to Gurgaon, India for the Hero Women’s Indian Open from Oct. 22-25. Props to the LET’s schedule management; there’s a bit of time between events for players to recover and settle into the next competition.
Even closer on the horizon, though, is the LPGA Tour’s Buick LPGA Shanghai, from Oct. 15-18 in the People’s Republic of China.
Both Jeeno Thitikul and Miyu Yamashita, the two most recent winners on the LPGA and LET, are in the field this week in Shanghai. I told you about Miyu’s win in Korea, but Thitikul is coming off her fourth win of the season at the LOTTE Championship. She’ll defend her title in Shanghai this week but not on the course at which she claimed victory last year.
The Buick LPGA Shanghai will be played at Sheshan Golf Club in its sixth edition. Qizhong Garden Golf Club played host to the other five editions of the event. Thitikul and others haven’t seen this course before, so they’ll have to use their practice time wisely to prepare.
Thitikul could be the one to shine again. With Nelly Korda out of the field for all four Asia swing competitions, Thitikul has a chance to inch closer to Korda in the Race to the CME Globe. Thitikul and Yamashita will also both have chances to fight for the Vare Trophy, as Korda won’t have enough rounds under her belt to claim it. Yamashita and Thitikul both have to catch Haeran Ryu for that title.
This is what makes the Asia swing so compelling. Across the world, players are still vying for wins, playing in front of great crowds and, oftentimes, home fans. Athletes like Yamashita, Thitikul, Ruoning Yin and others get to savor their time in their home nations and regions. Once the LPGA returns stateside in a little under a month, there will only be two tournaments left in the season. Now is the time for Thitikul and others competing in Asia to make a move.
See you next week, golf fans.
This week in women’s golf
LPGA News
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How to watch the 2026 Buick LPGA Shanghai
Field breakdown: 2026 Buick LPGA Shanghai
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Making moves: From CME bubble to rookie races, what’s at stake down the stretch?
LET News
Miyu Yamashita fires course record to win 2026 Aramco Korea Championship
Kousková proud of performance after stunning 63 on Sunday in Korea
Rookie Morgan finishes strong with final day surge in Korea
Ding secures LET status for 2027 with T3 finish in Korea
Kajsa Arwefjäll named LET Player of the Month for September
Epson Tour News
2027 LPGA rookie Annabelle Pancake-Webb joins field at The ANNIKA
NCAA News
Texas’s Farah O’Keefe and Washington’s Hanna Ounap share co-medalist honors at St. Andrews
No. 10 Texas earns team title at St. Andrews Links Collegiate
Indiana wins Illini Women’s Invitational at Medinah
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If you enjoy Megdal’s coverage of women’s basketball every Wednesday at The IX Sports, you will love “Rare Gems: How Four Generations of Women Paved the Way for the WNBA.”
Five at The IX: Jeeno Thitikul set to defend, others geared up to compete at the 2026 Buick LPGA Shanghai at Sheshan Golf Club
THE MODERATOR: The first question is for Jeeno Thitikul, defending champion of this tournament, this championship, this event. You have played four victories this season. What goals have you set for yourself this week?
JEENO THITIKUL: But the golf events, I mean, I love China. I love Chinese food. I think to eat as much Chinese food should be my goal this week. I mean, golf-wise it’s kind of second tier. I been trying to enjoy.
I just went back to Thailand last week. I love this period of golf because we are in Asia and I was home. I feel like playing Asia is my favorite part of the year, so we trying to enjoy that.
Q. Ruoning, you had the great honor to claim medals during the Asian Games. Also happy, delighted playing in front of home fans.
RUONING YIN: I think it’s just like going home. It was a great honor to claim medals during the Asian Games. Also very happy and very delighted playing in front of home fans. It’s always good to start something new, but I think this is the very beginning for Chinese golf.
Q. This question is to Celine Boutier. Buick LPGA Shanghai is the opening event Asian Swing. For you and other players, as far as you know, what is special about kicking off this stretch in Shanghai and what preparations have you made for this tournament week and upcoming Asian events?
CELINE BOUTIER: Yeah, it’s always fun to get started in Shanghai. This tournament has kind of been improved year after year, so it’s been fun to see how it’s improved every year, how big it’s become and how much fan support we have now.
I think it’s just a great way to also start out the Asian Swing. It’s fun for people to visit also outside of just the golf course. This year’s golf course is also a really good challenge, so I think it just gets us ready for the rest of the few events in Asia.
And personally, I didn’t really know what to expect for this year’s course so I wasn’t really able to like prepare specially for this course. I just try to get my game to improve in all areas and hopefully be ready enough for this week.
Q. This question is to Sei Young. You won Rookie of the Year in 2015 and Player of the Year in 2020. You have remained highly competitive over the years with many new generational players emerging on the Tour. What do you think the most important quality is to stay competitive long-term? Is it technique? Mentality?
SEI YOUNG KIM: I think I still love to compete young generation, and then we play last tournament and it was great compete with Ronni. I got a lot from the young players, so it’s good motivation from them. So used to more time I compete with the older player but it’s feel like different; but now it’s more the tougher to reach the win.
So yeah, now I more working hard than the younger, but, yeah, I just do my best until the end my career. That’s what I want to do.
Q. Question goes to Celine. You really gained your winning form this year, looking back on the adjustment, what key changes did you make and what kind of form and goals do you bring into this year’s Buick LPGA Shanghai?
BOUTIER: Yeah, I don’t think I made any changing really. I just feel like my game just kind of been improving throughout the year, and then to be able to win again in June was definitely very rewarding. I don’t think I changed anything prior to that week specifically.
I just tried to improve week to week and be in contention more often. But it’s kind of challenging, and as Sei Young said the talent is getting better and better every year, so it’s definitely getting challenging.
I just try my best and try to improve week to week and hopefully this week will be a good result.
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Tennis: Joey Dillon, @JoeyDillon, Freelance Tennis Writer
Basketball: Howard Megdal, @HowardMegdal, The IX Sports
Softball: Maren Angus-Coombs, @Maren-Angus, The IX Sports
Golf: Marin Dremock, @MDremock, The IX Sports
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