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The champion who never left: Olga Morozova’s five-decade reign in Queen's
Fifty-two years after lifting the trophy at Queen’s Club, Olga Morozova is back, older, wiser and ... still technically the defending champion. Her 1973 win at the Rothman’s London Grass Court Championships came in the very first title match of the new WTA era. Armed with a wooden racquet and seeded eighth, the Moscow-born right-hander defeated No. 3 seed Evonne Goolagong 6-2, 6-3 to claim what remains arguably the biggest singles title of her career. “It’s got to be some kind of record, right?” Morozova said with a mischievous glint, chuckling at the idea that her reign as Queen’s champion has quietly stretched across five decades. For reasons that would soon become historic, Billie Jean King and Rosie Casals skipped singles that week -- they won the doubles instead -- but the singles draw was stacked. Margaret Court and Chris Evert led the 64-player field, and most of the world’s best showed up for what was, at the time, a key grass-court tune-up. Story by Adam Lincoln
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MLB invests in pro softball, Women’s College World Series opens with a bang
Yesterday was like Christmas for softball fans, starting with the news that MLB will make a strategic investment in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) ahead of their debut season next week, followed by a high-octane opening day of the Women’s College World Series (WCWS). Let’s unpack all the latest. Story by The GIST
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Auston Kim Records Career-Best Finish in a Major at KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
FRISCO, Texas — Auston Kim dropped her putter in disbelief on the par-4 16th hole at Fields Ranch East. Her birdie putt had just kissed the right edge of the cup, sliding only a couple of inches by, and Kim couldn’t believe it didn’t fall, as the ball had been right on line until the very last second. It was pretty much Kim’s last chance to put any pressure on leader Minjee Lee coming down the stretch at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, and when the 24-year-old closed out her final round at the year’s third major with a pair of routine pars to post at 1-under overall, Lee dropped the hammer late to polish off her third career major victory and first LPGA Tour title since 2023, leaving Kim three shots behind, in a tie for second with Chanettee Wannasaen. Story by Sarah Kellam
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Jeeno Thitikul Stays Patient and Goes on a Birdie Streak to Take First-Round Lead at Women's PGA
aFRISCO, Texas (AP) — Jeeno Thitikul walked off the fifth green after a double bogey in the first round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship reminding herself to stay patient and that some missed shots are going to happen. "Majors, you're going to miss anyway," said Thitikul, who's No. 2 in the women's world ranking. "A way to bounce back, it's more important." Thitikul certainly found a way to do that on a hot and windy Thursday, finishing with a 4-under 68 for a one-stroke lead over Minjee Lee (69). Haeran Ryu, Rio Takeda and Somi Lee all shot 70. That only hole over par for Thitikul was followed by a par before she made five birdies in a six-hole stretch, with a 60-footer on the par-3 eighth hole in the middle of three in a row. "My putter went really well," said the 22-year-old from Thailand, who is seeking her first major title. "In the front nine we had a lot of breeze going, and more than the back nine, but like (made) putts 7, 8, 9, which boosts the confidence up making the turn to the back nine." Thitikul, who lives in the Dallas area, needed only 25 putts on the Fields Ranch East course at PGA Frisco. Her makes measured 199 1/2 feet. Only 15 of 156 players broke par, with no bogey-free rounds on a day when temperatures reached the mid-90s Fahrenheit and it felt even hotter. There were also the ever-present Texas winds on a more open layout after last year's Women's PGA at tree-lined Sahalee outside Seattle. Maja Stark, who three weeks ago won the U.S. Women's Open, shot a 3-over 75. Defending champion Amy Yang finished with a 76, and was one of the last players off the course on a day with six-hour rounds. Story by Associated Press
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U.S. Women’s Open a Historic Tournament for First-Ever Winners
ERIN, Wis. — This week marks the 80th edition of the U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally, and in the years since LPGA Founder Patty Berg won the inaugural playing of this major in 1946, several other athletes have written their own chapters of history at this event. While low scores have been posted and tournament scoring records have been toppled, some of the more important moments saw many of the 55 past champions of the U.S. Women’s Open become the first player from their respective countries to either capture this prestigious title or win a major championship, sometimes even doing both. Look back at some of the women who have accomplished incredible firsts for their countries and continents at the U.S. Women’s Open. Story by Sarah Kellam
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Field Breakdown: 2025 U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally
ERIN, Wis. — The second major championship of the 2025 LPGA Tour season gets underway this week as the 80th edition of the U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally is contested at Erin Hills Golf Course. It’s the first time in the championship’s history that the event will be played at this venue, which famously hosted the U.S. Open back in 2017, won by Brooks Koepka, and the tournament is visiting Wisconsin for the first time since 2012. The 156-player field features 24 of the top 25 players in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, including No. 1 Nelly Korda, 2025 Mizuho Americas Open winner Jeeno Thitikul and LPGA Hall of Famer Lydia Ko, and will also see eight past winners compete, most notably defending champion Yuka Saso, 2023 U.S. Women’s Open winner Allisen Corpuz and Australian Minjee Lee. There are nine LPGA Tour rookies in the field, including Epson Tour graduate and LPGA Tour winner Ingrid Lindblad, and a whopping 41 athletes will make their debut in this major championship, several of whom are amateurs. Story by Sarah Kellam
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Allisen Corpuz Returns to Erin Hills for First Time Since She Was 10 Years Old
ERIN, Wis. — A lot has changed in 17 years for Allisen Corpuz. She’s a bit taller than she once was and hits the golf ball a lot further. She played collegiate golf at USC, earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in her time as a Trojan and establishing herself as one of the nation’s top amateur players. She moved away from her native Hawaii and joined the LPGA Tour, winning for the first time at the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach and competing on two U.S. Solheim Cup Teams, one of which won last year at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. She even got engaged to her longtime boyfriend Daniel Eckstrom. Story by Sarah Kellam
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Wakimoto maintains her lead after the 2nd round of the TOTO Japan Classic
SHIGA, Japan (AP) — Hana Wakimoto shot a 4-under 68 on Friday to maintain her lead after the second round of the LPGA's Toto Japan Classic. The Japanese player shot a 63 in the opening round and continued to set the pace with a 13-under-par total of 131 after 36 holes. Yealimi Noh of the United States and Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand were two strokes off the lead after the second round. Noh shot 65 and Jutanugarn carded a 66. Rio Takeda of Japan was three behind after a 65. Noh, who has been using a new putting stance over the past year, birdied her first hole of the day, the par-5 1st, and made pars on her next two holes. The 23-year-old then had four consecutive birdies. “For me, last year, I was really struggling with my putting and I just needed something new and something completely different,” said Noh, who needed only 20 putts throughout her second round Friday. “I never even thought of trying it but my coach and my dad suggested it to me and I tried it. It helped me get over that uneasy feeling over the ball. So, that’s how it started and now using it a year after, my stroke has gotten really solid and my speed is great with the putter so it has helped me a lot.” Story by Associated Press
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