While accepting her trophy during the presentation and speaking to the crowd after her dramatic playoff win at the Meijer LPGA Classic, Miyu Yamashita had a hard time holding back her tears.

It's all because of how much the trophy meant to her and her father.

"So I know today is Father's Day and I really wanted to win on this special day," Yamashita said during her post-tournament interview.

"That gave me a little extra motivation out there and helped drive me throughout the round. I am incredibly grateful to my family for all the support they give me every day. This win is just as much for them as it is for me."

Yamashita’s father, Katsumi Yamashita, is her primary swing coach and the biggest influence on her career, having first introduced her to golf when she was five years old.

The 24-year-old was five shots behind third-round leader Jing Yan and four back of Woad. Even after shooting an 8-under-par 64, the best round of the day, she didn't expect a playoff.

But when Lottie Woad missed a short putt on the final hole, Yamashita unexpectedly found herself in a playoff. Both players reached the green in two shots, but Yamashita's chip settled three feet from the cup as she secured the win on the first extra hole after they finished tied at 17-under-par.

"I was able to put together a solid round, and it all felt pretty natural out there," Yamashita said in the interview. "Lottie played really well, too. I honestly didn't expect it to end up in a playoff."

While the playoff came as a surprise to Yamashita, the victory proved significant for more than just the trophy.

The win puts Yamashita in rare company

The victory made Yamashita the first Japanese winner of the Meijer LPGA Classic and just the fourth Asian champion at Blythefield Country Club. It was also her third LPGA Tour title and her first in the United States after winning 13 times on the JLPGA Tour.

She also became the seventh-fastest player since 2000 to reach 18 top-10 finishes in her first 37 career starts.

"I did a good job of controlling my game today and I'm really pleased with that," Yamashita said in the same interview.

"To be honest, I never thought I would end up winning, so this is a very special result for me."

The timing could not be better. Yamashita heads to this week's KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club with a trophy and plenty of confidence.

"Winning for the first time this season gives me a lot of confidence," she added. "I feel like my swing, ball striking, and short game are all trending in the right direction, so I'm excited about where my game is and looking forward to next week."

What did you make of Yamashita's emotional Father's Day victory? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Md Saife Fida

Edited by

Pulkit Prabhav