Yuri Yoshida captured her first LPGA Tour victory on Sunday, October 25, 2026, coming from four shots behind to win in her 74th career start on the US circuit. According to GDO Golf News, the Japanese player closed with a 67 in rainy conditions to finish at 17 under, one stroke clear of the field.
The result makes Yoshida the 27th Japanese woman to win on the LPGA Tour. GDO Golf News notes she follows Hinako Shibuno's September win at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship as the second Japanese champion in as many months. She is also the fourth Japanese winner this season, joining Miyu Yamashita, Shihomi Kusaki and Nishimura.
Why it matters
Yoshida's breakthrough adds another name to a deepening Japanese presence on the LPGA Tour. Four different Japanese players have now won events this season, and Yoshida's title came in a week when several of her compatriots also finished inside the top 15. According to GDO Golf News, the victory arrived in her third year on the US tour, ending a wait that stretched across 74 starts.
How the comeback unfolded
Yoshida began the final round at 13 under, second and four shots adrift of Yoo Hae-ran of South Korea, who had won two majors this season and held the lead. Playing in the group ahead of the final pairing, Yoshida made her move early. On the par-5 second hole she chipped in for eagle, and she chipped in again at the fifth. Three straight birdies through the seventh hole wiped out the deficit and sent her to the turn alone in front.
The back nine proved harder. GDO Golf News reports Yoshida bogeyed the par-3 15th, birdied the par-5 17th and then three-putted the 18th for another bogey, signing for a back-nine 37. She finished at 17 under and had to wait.
The outcome was settled behind her. Yoo made a bogey at the 18th in the final group, and Choi Hye-jin of South Korea, who had closed to within one shot, could not make the birdie she needed. Yoshida won by a single stroke over both players.
Celebration and reaction
Fellow tour players, including Nasa Hataoka and Minami Katsu, gave Yoshida a champagne shower after she holed out. In the clubhouse ceremony that followed, she took questions in English. GDO Golf News reports she said she was very happy and that she had not looked at the leaderboard during the round, keeping her focus on her own game. She described the win as a dream come true.
Other Japanese players also featured on the final leaderboard. Hataoka climbed from 19th with a 66 to finish at 14 under in a tie for sixth, her fifth top-10 of the season. Erika Hara, who started the day in 75th, carded the low round of the day at 65 to finish at 5 under in a tie for 41st. Chisato Iwai and Akie Iwai shared 15th at 11 under, while Rio Takeda finished 49th at 3 under. Ayaka Furue and Minami Katsu ended in a tie for 74th at 3 over.
The event was played under preferred lies because of rain, GDO Golf News reports.
Yoshida's win moves her into the small group of Japanese players with an LPGA title, and her form will be worth watching as the tour moves through the closing stretch of the season.
