‘The longest 18 holes I’ve ever played’: Amy Yang wins maiden major on 75th attempt at Women’s PGA Championship

South Korean Amy Yang survived a late scare to win the Women’s PGA Championship in Washington on Sunday, ending an almost two-decades wait to claim her first major.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Or if you’re Amy Yang, try 75 times to win your first major – ending an almost two-decades wait – after the South Korean golfer survived a late scare to win the Women’s PGA Championship in Washington on Sunday. Seven shots clear with just three holes to play at Sahalee Country Club, alarm bells rang when Yang bogeyed and double bogeyed the subsequent two holes, but the 34-year-old righted the ship with a closing par to finish three stokes clear of compatriot Ko Jin-young and American Lilia Vu at seven-under par overall. “It’s incredible,” Yang, who carded a final round even-par 72, told reporters. “I was so nervous at the beginning of the day, even the night before. “I told Jan [Meierling, caddie] on the 18th fairway, this has been the longest 18 holes I’ve ever played in my career.” Despite five wins on the LPGA Tour, victory on the biggest stage had eluded Yang for 18 years. In 74 prior major starts, she had finished inside the top-10 on 21 outings, and twice as a runner-up at the US Women’s Open in 2012 and 2015. With 17 of those top-10 finishes coming between 2009 and 2017, Yang’s best window of opportunity looked to have passed, yet the world No. 25 mastered a star-studded field and a demanding course to become the LPGA Tour’s oldest major winner since Angela Stanford claimed the 2018 Evian Championship at 40-years-old.