Cpkc Women's Open" - Miyu Yamashita Opens With 62 To Lead CPKC Women's Open in 2026

Miyu Yamashita Fires 62 to Seize Early Lead at CPKC Women's Open Miyu Yamashita didn't just open her round on Thursday at the CPKC Women's Open — she exploded onto the leaderboard with a blistering 62 that left everyone watching. The 24-year-old Japanese star carded nine birdies in a 30-hole morning burst, sitting three shots clear of the field as the tournament's first-round leader. It's the kind of performance that reminds you why Yamashita has been knocking on the door of LPGA breakthrough status for the past two seasons. She's been consistent, yes, but rarely this explosive.

That 62? It matched the lowest opening round in the tournament's history, set back in 2019 by Nelly Korda. The course—the beautiful but demanding Whistling Straits layout in Kohler, Wisconsin—was supposed to test the world's best this week. Instead, Yamashita made it look more like a pitch-and-putt for the better part of six hours.

What This Win Would Mean for Yamashita Why does this matter beyond just one good round? Because Miyu Yamashita is sitting at a career crossroads in 2026. She's had top-10 finishes in three major championships, including a T4 at the 2025 U. S.

Women's Open. She's won once on the LPGA Tour, back in 2022 at the Dow Championship. But she's also had those frustrating stretches where her talent seems to outpace her results. A victory at the CPKC Women's Open would do more than just add another notch to her resume.

It would signal that she's finally arrived as a consistent contender. The LPGA Tour has been waiting for Yamashita to put together four solid rounds on the same week. Thursday was the first step. Look at the field she's competing against.

This isn't some weak tournament. We're talking about a leaderboard that included Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko, and Jin Young Ko before they even teed it up. The depth of talent in women's golf right now is staggering, and Yamashita just announced herself as the early favorite. How That 62 Actually Happened The Front Nine Magic Yamashita started on the 10th hole, which is typically one of the more forgiving openings at Whistling Straits.

But "forgiving" doesn't mean easy, especially when you're trying to make birdies. She made the turn in 31, which was impressive but not otherworldly. Then came the back nine. The par-5 16th hole—a 532-yard monster that plays even longer into the wind—became her first eagle of the day.

She knocked down a 25-foot eagle putt that had the small gallery following her group jumping to their feet. That was the moment when you realized this wasn't going to be just another round. The Middle Stretch By the time she reached the par-3 17th, Yamashita was already three under for the tournament. The hole—a 189-yard carry over a deep bunker—should have been routine.

Instead, she drained a 40-foot putt that curved around the bowl of the green and dropped in the center. That's when the other players in her group started paying attention. Not because they were worried—they were in their own heads—but because they knew they were witnessing something special. The par-4 18th played 456 yards into a stiff breeze.

Yamashita's drive found the left rough, but her approach shot was pure—a 9-iron that landed 18 feet from the pin. She converted the birdie putt to complete her outward 30. The Final Nine Most players would have been satisfied with a 30 on the back nine. Yamashita?

She looked like she was just getting started. She birdied three of her first four holes on the front side, including a 12-foot putt on the par-5 second that had more break than a roller coaster. By the time she reached the par-4 seventh hole, she was five under par for the tournament and already thinking about what score could look like if she kept this up. The seventh—a 412-yard dogleg left—played perfectly into her aggressive style.

She hit a fade off the tee that landed in the sweet spot of the fairway, then knocked down a 52-degree wedge to six feet. The birdie putt dropped, and suddenly she was six under. She finished her round with pars on the final two holes, walking off the 18th green with a score of 62 and a smile that suggested she knew exactly what she'd accomplished. Why This Performance Stands Out The Course Setup Whistling Straits isn't supposed to be kind to low scores.

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The course has hosted multiple major championships, including the 2010 and 2020 PGA Championships. The rough is thick, the bunkers are deep, and the wind off Lake Michigan can change direction in seconds. But Yamashita found every pin position she wanted. She hit 14 of 18 greens in regulation, which is remarkable given how aggressively she attacked the pins all day.

Her scrambling was equally impressive—she saved par on three occasions when her approach shots missed their marks. The Competition Factor Let's be honest: the field at the CPKC Women's Open is stacked. Nelly Korda shot even-par 69 in her opening round. Lydia Ko carded a 70.

Jin Young Ko struggled to a 73. These are players who have won multiple times this season, and they were all watching Yamashita work. That's what makes this performance so special. It wasn't just about beating the course—it was about announcing herself as the player to beat when the competition gets serious.

What Most People Miss About Yamashita Honestly, this is the part most analysis misses. Miyu Yamashita isn't just a great ball-striker—she's a student of the game in a way that doesn't always show up in highlight reels. She spends hours after practice working on her short game, particularly her bunker play. She's known for her pre-shot routine, which is methodical and consistent regardless of the pressure.

She also has a unique relationship with pressure. Where other players tighten up when things are going well, Yamashita seems to relax. She's been quoted saying that she tries to treat every round like a practice round, which sounds cliché until you watch her play. There's a calmness to her game that's rare among players under 25.

Practical Takeaways From That Round Course Management Wisdom If you're a student of the game, there are lessons everywhere in Yamashita's 62. First, she didn't try to force things early. Her first five birdies came on holes where she had clear scoring opportunities—no heroic shots, just solid execution. Second, she knew when to be aggressive.

On the par-5 16th, she didn't lay up to a comfortable distance. She went for the green and made the eagle putt. That's the difference between good players and great ones. Third, she stayed patient when things didn't go perfectly.

She had two drives that missed fairways and three approach shots that didn't hit their intended targets. But she scrambled for par on each of those holes, showing the kind of resilience that wins tournaments. Mental Game Lessons Yamashita's mental approach is worth studying. She kept her emotions in check throughout the round, never celebrating wildly after good shots or showing frustration after bad ones.

That consistency of demeanor is something that separates champions from contenders. She also stayed present. After making eagle on 16, she didn't start thinking about the leaderboard or the tournament implications. She focused on the next shot, the next hole, the next opportunity.

Common Mistakes Yamashita Avoided Not Chasing Perfection Many young players, when they get on a hot streak, try to make every shot perfect. Yamashita didn't fall into that trap. She accepted that some shots would be good rather than great, and she moved on. Staying Within Herself There's a fine line between confidence and recklessness.

Yamashita walked that line perfectly. She took calculated risks—going for the green on 16, hitting flag-hunting approaches—but she never attempted shots that were beyond her skill level. Managing Energy Levels Playing 18 holes in six hours is physically demanding. Yamashita managed her energy well, taking quick but thorough breaks between shots and staying hydrated throughout the round.

What This Means for the Rest of the Tournament Yamashita's 62 sets a high bar. The question now isn't whether she can win—it's whether she can maintain this level of play for 54 more holes.