Toto Japan Classic – Page 2 – Syndication Server

Weary Rose Zhang wraps up five weeks in Asia at Toto Japan Classic with new caddie

“I’m feeling a little dead,” said Zhang. “I’m not going to lie. It’s been quite a long journey.”

Rookie Rose Zhang needs a break. Now in her fifth week of competition in Asia at the Toto Japan Classic, Zhang hopes to end the lengthy overseas stretch on a high note after taking a share of third last week at the Maybank Championship. Zhang’s Asian tour began on the Ladies European Tour with the Aramco Team Series event in Hong Kong followed by LPGA stops in China, South Korea, Malaysia and now Japan.

“I’m feeling a little dead,” said Zhang. “I’m not going to lie. It’s been quite a long journey, I would say. Even though it’s only five weeks, it’s still a pretty significant toll on the body. So I’m kind of glad this will be my last one.”

The 46th playing of the Toto Japan Classic, which is co-sanctioned by the LPGA and the LPGA of Japan Tour, takes place this week at the Taiheiyo Club Minori Course.

Zhang, who famously won her first start as a professional at the Mizuho Americas Open in June, is one of 78 players in a field that consists of 43 LPGA members and 35 JLPGA members. Hyo Joo Kim (No. 7) is the only top-10 player in the field this week.

Though Zhang came off her sophomore season at Stanford red hot with four top-10 finishes in her first five starts, her most recent top 10 prior to last week came at the Amundi Evian Championship in July.

Rose Zhang hugs her caddie Olly Brett after a birdie putt on the 18th green during the third round of the 2023 Maybank Championship at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Photo: Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)

Last week, Zhang had a new caddie, Olly Brett, on the bag after she parted ways with veteran looper Jason Gilroyed after the Solheim Cup. Brett, who worked for Danielle Kang and Mike Weir earlier this year, will be with Zhang through the end of the season.

“I think Olly makes a huge difference,” said Zhang last week at the Maybank Championship, “especially with us just enjoying the golf course and having a good time.”

Currently No. 26 in the world, Zhang is one of eight rookies in the field, joined by Celine Borge, Minami Katsu, Yan Liu, Yuna Nishimura, Bailey Tardy, Chanettee Wannasaen and Arpichaya Yubol.

While Zhang currently sits third in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Award, she does not have a mathematical chance to win it because she is not signed up for next week’s event in Florida, The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican. Zhang would have to win all three remaining events on the schedule to have a chance.

Hae Ran Ryu’s 847 points lead Grace Kim by 255 points and Yuna Nishimura by 410 points.

Zhang, who has 473 points, was not given the 150 points for her Mizuho Americas victory toward her total because she was not yet a member of the tour.

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Gemma Dryburgh wins maiden title in Japan, becomes fourth Scot to win on LPGA

“I was nervous, I’m not going to lie. But I was incredibly calm to be honest.”

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Gemma Dryburgh continued a trend of a first-time winners on the LPGA in 2022. The 29-year-old Scottish pro shot her second consecutive 7-under 65 to capture the Toto Japan Classic by four strokes at Seta Golf Course.

“I was in Korea last week with friends and I said to them ‘I’ll mention you in my speech’ as a joke,” said Dryburgh. “But it’s overwhelming to be honest. This has been a dream of mine for a long time. A lot of hard work has gone into this, so it means so much.”

Dryburgh, who has one additional top 10 this season, finished at 20-under 268 for the tournament, shattering her previous record, a 276 from the 2019 Pure Silk Championship. She’s the 11th Rolex First-Time Winner of the season, tying the tour record for most Rolex first-time winners in a single year, which last occurred in 1995.

Gemma Dryburgh of Scotland hits her tee shot on the 7th hole during the final round of the Toto Japan Classic at Seta Golf Course North Course on November 6, 2022 in Otsu, Shiga, Japan. (Photo by Yoshimasa Nakano/Getty Images)

“I was surprisingly calm,” said Dryburgh. “When I dreamt of this moment, I thought I’d be super, super nervous. I was nervous, I’m not going to lie. But I was incredibly calm to be honest. Kind of focused on my breathing and that really got me through.”

Japan’s Kana Nagai finished second at 16 under while Sweden’s Linn Grant bogeyed the last hole to take solo third.

Dryburgh, playing her first time in this event, began the day one stroke behind 54-hole leader Momoko Ueda. The Scot took the lead at the turn after Ueda bogeyed the ninth. A double-bogey on the 11th from Ueda pushed Dryburgh further ahead as she hit to hit a hybrid to 4 feet, setting up the first of four birdies over the next five holes.

“That’s kind of a turning point in the round I’d say. I had a really good shot there yesterday and hit the same club today, so I was confident I could do it again,” said Dryburgh. “But yeah, had an incredible shot there and it was a nice birdie on that one. It was quite a tough one.”

Dryburgh moved up from 78th on the CME points list to 41. (She has never previously before finished higher than 100th.) The top 60 qualify for the CME Group Tour Championship.

A former Tulane standout, Dryburgh becomes the fourth Scot to win on the LPGA and the first since Catriona Matthew at the 2011 Lorena Ochoa Invitational. Prior to this, she won the 2017 Oatlands Ladies Pro Am on the ALPG and three events on the Rose Ladies Series, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dryburgh is the 25th different winner this season. The record for most different winners in a year is 26, in 1991 and 2018. There are two events left in the 2022 season.

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LPGA: Momoko Ueda leads by one at the Toto Japan Classic after third-round 68

In total, eight Japanese players sit inside the top 10 heading into Sunday.

With 18 holes left to play, Momoko Ueda leads the Toto Japan Classic by one shot over Gemma Dryburgh.

On Saturday, Ueda made her share of birdies (seven) around Seta Golf Course, however, she mixed in three bogeys to sign for a third-round 4-under 68. She sits at 14 under through three rounds.

Dryburgh has played better each day so far this week. She opened with a 71, then shot a 67 on Friday and signed for a 7-under 65 on day three. She’s one back at 13 under and searching for her first win on the LPGA.

In total, eight Japanese players sit inside the top 10 heading into Sunday.

World No. 1 Atthaya Thitikul struggled in the third round, shooting a 1-over 73 and now sits T-23, nine back.

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Momoko Ueda leads Toto Japan Classic searching for third win at event, world No. 1 Atthaya Thitikul shoots 67 in second round

The two-time winner of the event is in prime position heading to the weekend.

Momoko Ueda is accustomed to having success at the Toto Japan Classic.

She won the event in 2007 and again in 2011. A day after saying the golf course setup made her uncomfortable, she is the 36-hole leader for the LPGA’s event in Japan at 10-under 134, one of five Japanese players at the top of the leaderboard following the second round at Seta Golf Course.

Yet even after playing well enough to hold the lead, Ueda said it took her time to settle into the round.

“I was not in a good mood in the first 5 holes,” Ueda said. “During that time, Ai (Suzuki) and Sakura (Koiwai) made good putts and played well. So, I tried to catch up with them and not to think conservatively.”

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Ueda recorded five straight pars to begin before a birdie on the sixth. A bogey on her ninth hole led to an even-par front nine, but her scorecard was colorful on the back nine. She had four birdies on Nos. 10, 13, 14 and 17 with one bogey to shoot 3-under 69 in the second round.

Miyu Yamashita and Suzuki are tied for second at 9 under. Suzuki was tied with Ueda for the lead after the first round but is hoping for more on the weekend after a 2-under performance on Friday.

“Hope today is the worst day of this week,” Suzuki said. “I need 60’s for the next 2 days.”

New world No. 1 Atthaya Thitikul sits tied for eighth at 6 under after a 5-under 67 on Friday.

“I had a really good round today,” Thitikul said. “A lot better than yesterday. But I think I have more to practice with my tee shot and driver because I don’t think it’s good enough for these narrow fairways.”

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Japanese players dominate Day 1 at Toto Japan Classic; new No. 1 Atthaya Thitikul cards 71

Japanese players pack the top of the leaderboard after the first round in Japan.

Ai Suzuki won the last co-sanctioned edition of the LPGA’s Toto Japan Classic in 2019 but did not take LPGA membership. This week, she co-leads with compatriot Momoko Ueda after an opening 7-under 65. Ueda won this event in 2007 and 2011. Japanese players occupy the top five positions on the leaderboard at Seta Golf Course.

A 17-time winner on the JLPGA, Suzuki has five top-10 finishes this season but no victories.

“I am struggling with my swing,” said Suzuki of her winless 2022. “I had a swing coach, but it did not work well. Then I made a decision to play without coach anymore, and it just start go well.”

Ai Suzuki on the 18th green during the first round of the TOTO Japan Classic at Seta Golf Course North Course on Nov. 3, 2022 in Otsu, Shiga, Japan. (Photo by Yoshimasa Nakano/Getty Images)

Ueda posted five consecutive birdies from Nos. 10-14. She changed driver shafts this week and put a new putter in the bag. But it was the golf course setup that made her uncomfortable.

“Order of holes has been changed since I played here before,” she said. “That is why I could not remember each hole exactly until I came and see every hole. That is why I could not feel comfortable during my play today.”

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Miyuu Yamashita, the best player on the JLPGA this year, opened with a 67. Yamashita is a three-time winner this season. She leads the JLPGA in top-10 finishes (18) and scoring (70.16). This is Yamashita’s second career LPGA start. She tied for 13th in her debut at the 2022 AIG Women’s British Open.

Newly minted No. 1 Atthaya Thitikul opened with a 71 to take a share of 30th. At the start of her round, her caddie, Banpot Bunpisansaree, was presented with the green caddie bib that recognizes the top-ranked player. Thitikul, 19, is a two-time winner this season and leads the tour in top-10 finishes with 14.

“I meant a lot to me, but I think it meant a lot more to him,” said Thitikul. “I think he dreams of wearing the green bib since day one of caddying for me.”

Linn Grant shot 69 despite early-week travel delays. The LET star was only able to play nine holes on Wednesday in her only practice round. She walked the back nine.

“Thank God we started on No. 1 so we got into it a bit,” she said. “I don’t feel too uncomfortable doing that, I feel like I got a good view of the back nine from just walking but it is a bit terrifying. Having the crowds here is nice, and I think my focus just turns on a bit more. I think today was a bonus for not playing which was nice.”

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Minjee Lee, Atthaya Thitikul have one last chance to make their moves for Aon Risk Reward’s $1 million prize

Minjee Lee and Atthaya Thitikul are dueling it out in the Aon Risk Reward Challenge. The winner of the season-long race earns $1 million.

Minjee Lee and Atthaya Thitikul have much to play for as the LPGA season winds down, including a couple of seven-figure checks. In addition to the CME Group Tour Championship’s record-setting $2 million winner’s check, they currently top the standings in the Aon Risk Reward Challenge.

Both players are in the field at this week’s Toto Japan Classic, where the challenge hole is the par-5 13th at Seta Golf Course, set at 476 yards. The Aon insight says that from the fairway, 27 percent of the field is expected to successfully reach the green.

The winner of the season-long race earns $1 million. When Lee won the U.S. Women’s Open in June, she earned a first-place check of $1,800,000. So far this season, 22 players have crossed the $1 million mark in earnings.

Players take their best two scores from each Aon Risk Reward Challenge hole, with the winners having the best average score to par at the end of the regular season. Only two events remain before a winner will be decided. Neither Lee nor Thitikul will be competing in Pelican LPGA Championship, Nov. 10-13, which means this is their final event to make a move.

Atthaya Thitikul looks on on the 6th hole during day two of the 2021 Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Photo: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Lee currently holds the lead with a season-long average score to par of -0.912. Thitikul, who just moved to No. 1 in the world, is at -0.891.

If Lee records two birdies this week, her season-long average would move to -0.917, requiring Thitikul to record an eagle and a birdie to tie her score.

If Lee makes a par and a birdie on the hole, her score will move down to -0.899.

Should Lee make a birdie and an eagle, she’d all but lock up the competition.

Thitikul could move into first place with a pair of eagles. A birdie and an eagle would move her to -0.917, which would tie Lee, should she record two birdies.

China’s Xiyu Lin is not in the field in Japan. She’ll need at least one eagle, possibly two, at the Pelican next week to have a chance.

Thitikul and Lee are tied for 12th on the LPGA in par-5 scoring at 4.62. Lin is second at 4.56 behind Jennifer Kupcho (4.54).

Previous winners of the Aon include Carlota Ciganda and Hannah Green. Scottie Scheffler won the Aon Risk Reward Challenge on the PGA Tour and the $1 million prize a year ago.

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LPGA event in Japan removed from fall schedule; only four events left in 2021

The LPGA’s fall Asian swing has dwindled down to one event.

The LPGA’s fall Asian swing has dwindled down to one event. The LPGA has announced that due to continuing health concerns and significant travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 TOTO Japan Classic has been removed from the tour’s schedule. The event was slated to take place Nov. 4-7 at the Seta Golf Course.

While the week will remain open on the LPGA schedule, the tour noted in a release that organizers of the TOTO event have provided financial support for a future LPGA competition opportunity.

Only four events remain on the LPGA schedule, including this week’s Cognizant Founders Cup in West Caldwell, New Jersey. The BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea is the only event that’s left in Asia this fall. Events were originally planned for China, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea.

The season will conclude with back-to-back events in Florida starting with the Pelican Women’s Championship in Belleair, followed by the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples.

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