Yuna Nishimura captured her inaugural LPGA Tour title with a commanding wire‑to‑wire performance at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, while England’s Lottie Woad was forced to withdraw during the final round due to illness. Nishimura entered the concluding day at Pinnacle Country Club holding a five‑stroke cushion after posting consecutive rounds of 63, and she solidified her dominance with a five‑under‑par 66 to seal a five‑stroke victory.
The 26‑year‑old Japanese golfer demonstrated poise throughout the day, beginning with an eagle on the par‑five 14th hole and finishing the round with a blend of five birdies and two bogeys. Her final score left her well ahead of a tightly packed group that included Aki Iwai, Chanettee Wannasaen, and In Gee Chun, all of whom tied for second place. "Holding a five‑shot lead can feel like a heavy burden, but I trusted my game and kept pressing forward until the very end," Nishimura explained. "I’ve missed a lot of cuts this season, so winning this tournament is a huge surprise and truly a dream come true." Iwai had briefly threatened to overtake the lead after a spectacular bogey‑free 62 that featured six birdies in seven holes.
Wannasaen (64) and Chun (65) both finished at 16 under par, while England’s Jodi Ewart‑Shadoff was a stroke further back, sharing fifth place after three steady rounds of 66. Other notable moments included Yealimi Noh’s first career LPGA Tour hole‑in‑one, which came on the par‑three 15th after she hit a nine‑iron from 136 yards. Similarly, Mao Saigo recorded an impressive shot on the par‑three third, holing a seven‑iron from 159 yards.
Lottie Woad, who started the day six strokes off the lead, found herself five over par for the round before withdrawing because of illness. Her exit came shortly after an errant drive that landed out of bounds on the par‑five 14th. Woad’s Solheim Cup teammate, Julia Lopez Ramirez, ultimately finished seven strokes behind the leader, sharing eighth place, while Charley Hull faded to a tie for 22nd after posting a 70 in the final round. On the Ladies European Tour, South Africa’s Casandra Alexander added a third LET title – and her second in just a month – by winning the Buccellati Ladies Italian Open with a three‑stroke margin.
Alexander, a five‑time runner‑up on the LET this season, carded a three‑under‑par 69 on the final day at Golf Club Milano, edging out Germany’s Sophie Hausmann and American rookie Anna Morgan. The 27‑year‑old’s final round was a roller‑coaster: she recorded an eagle, four birdies, a bogey and a double‑bogey, but her overall performance was enough to clinch the victory, following her triumph at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open the previous month. "I’m glad I didn’t have to wait as long for this win as I did for the last one," Alexander said.
"My game feels right for winning tournaments, and I’m excited about the rest of the season and the chances ahead." Alexander began the final day tied for the lead, fell four strokes back after five holes, then surged back with an eagle on the par‑five ninth. She added three more birdies in the closing four holes to pull away from the field. The win bolsters her standing atop the LET Order of Merit, widening the gap over Anna Huang as the season approaches its climax. Looking ahead, the LPGA Tour will travel to Hawaii for the Lotte Championship, which kicks off Thursday at Ewa Beach in Oahu.
Live coverage begins on Friday at 1 a.m. on Sky Sports Golf. Meanwhile, the Ladies European Tour heads to Asia for the Aramco Korea Championship, scheduled for October 8‑11, where Hyo‑Joo Kim will defend her title.
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