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LPGA major champion leaning on winning experience in title defense

Published: 19 Jun. 2025, 14:27

Amy Yang of Korea answers questions from media prior to the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco on June 18 in Frisco, northeast Texas. [AFP/YONHAP]

As she seeks to defend her LPGA major title this week, Korea's Amy Yang will lean on her winning experience from a year ago.

Yang will try to win her second straight title at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, which will tee off Thursday at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco in Frisco, northeast Texas.

In her pretournament news conference Wednesday, Yang said she was “very excited to come back” as the defending champion.

“Been preparing really well with my team and really looking forward to teeing off tomorrow,” the 35-year-old said.

Yang won the 2024 title for her maiden major on her 75th try. She admitted to battling moments of self-doubt, and emerging as the winner at the end taught her some valuable lessons.

“I came very close to [winning] many major championships and never won before, so on Saturday night [before last year's final round], I was very nervous, and I was questioning myself, 'Can I do it this time?'” Yang said. “I just told myself, 'Go out tomorrow and just embrace everything and see what's going to happen.' That experience taught me that I can still do it. If you have dream and goals to achieve and you work hard at it, you can get it. That's what I learned from last year.”

Yang said winning a major had been “one of my biggest goals as a professional golfer” and added, “It feels extra special because it took a while.”

As the defending champion, Yang hosted the annual Champions Dinner on Monday, serving a three-course Korean meal, complete with a dessert, to the past winners of the tournament.

“It was amazing. Every dish was perfect,” she said. “I was very honored to be one of the past champions at the dinner. At the end, everyone talked about good and bad shots they had in their careers. I especially thought the players who played a long time ago, their stories were more exciting and fun for me. Just very heartwarming and very humbling too. A great day.”

Yonhap