2022 Japanese Pros on LPGA: Ayaka, Hinako, Nasa, Yuka

[HMHS]

As Yuka and Nasa play their way through this week (separate thread already existing so won't bother here), we at least are ensured that Hinako will play by March at the latest...

 

https://www.lpga.com/tournaments/hsbc-womens-world-championship/tournament-entries

[18majors]

5 minutes ago, Supermilo said:

As Yuka and Nasa play their way through this week (separate thread already existing so won't bother here), we at least are ensured that Hinako will play by March at the latest...

 

https://www.lpga.com/tournaments/hsbc-womens-world-championship/tournament-entries

 

Hopefully she’ll play Thailand too.

 

She won’t get CME points, but OK with  Rookie of the year and Rolex points.

[HMHS]

4 hours ago, 18majors said:

 

Hopefully she’ll play Thailand too.

 

She won’t get CME points, but OK with  Rookie of the year and Rolex points.

Unofficially yes she'll get an invite to Thailand, what with Honda being the sponsor... (Japanese press)

 

Key for her is the reshuffle and playing well in the major (I think there's only  one prior to reshuffle?)

[18majors]

7 minutes ago, Supermilo said:

Unofficially yes she'll get an invite to Thailand, what with Honda being the sponsor... (Japanese press)

 

Key for her is the reshuffle and playing well in the major (I think there's only  one prior to reshuffle?)

Yes, one Major before the 1st reshuffle but all five before the 2nd reshuffle.  

Hinako should be all set after the 2nd reshuffle.

[HMHS]

1 hour ago, 18majors said:

Yes, one Major before the 1st reshuffle but all five before the 2nd reshuffle.  

Hinako should be all set after the 2nd reshuffle.

Hers is really a strange one...

 

Her priority and ability to play looks " more certain" after the first reshuffle than before... 

 

But, that's the benefit of a major win that she didn't consummate with a LPGA card.

 

Nonetheless, the win still gave her benefits now that she has a card despite being low on the priority totem pole... 

 

And yeah, full confidence she'll play at least one top 5-10 in one of those majors = retain card for 2023...

[Viper4225]

On 1/5/2022 at 10:20 AM, KBong said:

IMO....Cally golf balls have gone a bit out of favor with the general golf public since the discovery of some QC issues.

I know any golf ball can crack during colder weather...but I had 2 Supersofts crack last winter.

Because they are so soft....the Supersoft are good when it's really cold outside.

 

I still play the Chrome Soft ever now and again...heck I gotta play all the premium balls I find.

 

Ancer will still be playing his Miura irons...he's a Miura PGA ambassador and I think he has some Miura distribution rights in Mexico.

 

Yuka also sticking with miuras this week.

 

Curious what ball she's gaming...

[KBong]

3 minutes ago, Viper4225 said:

 

Yuka also sticking with miuras this week.

 

Curious what ball she's gaming...

I gotta believe Saso's on contract for Cally Irons too...just a matter of time until she games the TCB's or X Forged....some really sweet feeling heads.

 

Muira used to have a corporate office here in Burnaby, BC and Adam Barr (Lawyer & GC employee) used to be a VP.

 

Ya....likely one of the Cally Chrome Soft versions.

[18majors]

 

The spotlight was on Yuka, Nasa and Ayaka during the first two weeks of the new season, but Japanese media to the rescue:

Hinako Shibuno, "V-shaped revival" from the bottom ... Why can you expect "Shibuco Smile" for girls in the United States?

 

This article talked about how grueling LPGA Tour's travels are; early starters tend to be tired by the time USWO arrives.  They argued that Hinako will be primed to take a good crack at 2022 USWO at Pine Needles.

 

[Golf Dino]

1 hour ago, KBong said:

Muira used to have a corporate office here in Burnaby, BC and Adam Barr (Lawyer & GC employee) used to be a VP.

 

They were the North American distributors but apparently no more and moved to Carlsbad??   I like their irons . . . but one needs to find the right one for their game . . . I could never find a good shaft combo for them.

[HMHS]

Hinako has decided to skip Fort Myers this week and the first quarter of LPGA altogether (heck she's got a sponsor invite for March in HSBC so not much sense for her to travel back and forth, esp with her assured of playing status for all majors) -- this wk, she couldve played based on priority but didn't bother to register... (as an aside, the younger Hou sister is skipping this too despite being eligible...)

 

Expecting more of the same placing for the upcoming week with Yuka being in the top 10 (she's always played decent at these early year events), Nasa, on the other hand, probably still ramping up on a slow start to her season and Ayaka probably in the top 20-25 as she gains her footing in the relatively new "environs".  

 

https://www.alba.co.jp/tour/news/article/no=178745

[18majors]

2 hours ago, Supermilo said:

Hinako has decided to skip Fort Myers this week and the first quarter of LPGA altogether

 

 

Hopefully, she'll sign up to play JTBC Classic (the old Kia) one week before the Chevron; no reasons not to do that!

 

 

[HMHS]

6 hours ago, 18majors said:

 

 

Hopefully, she'll sign up to play JTBC Classic (the old Kia) one week before the Chevron; no reasons not to do that!

 

 

she'll sign up based on what I've read, but may not make it as priority status is "low", unless of course, a lot of the better ranked ones take the week off... 

[18majors]

2 minutes ago, Supermilo said:

she'll sign up based on what I've read, but may not make it as priority status is "low", unless of course, a lot of the better ranked ones take the week off... 

 

It's an 144 full field event; she'll make it in spades!

[HMHS]

Just now, 18majors said:

 

It's an 144 full field event; she'll make it in spades!

then she would most likely post in her youtube account of her starting to pack up (or selfy-ing herself in the airport) as the time comes... (based on the past posts of her to's and fro's from Japan to abroad)  -- will obviously update this thread...

[18majors]

35 minutes ago, Supermilo said:

her youtube account

 

The 'Pinacoooon Channel', I highly recommend it!

[HMHS]

2 hours ago, 18majors said:

 

The 'Pinacoooon Channel', I highly recommend it!

Yup am a "subscriber" lol 

[Viper4225]

13 hours ago, 18majors said:

 

The 'Pinacoooon Channel', I highly recommend it!

 

damn this thread is highly entertaining/informative, also watched some vids on her channel but i dont understand anything lmao.

[Viper4225]

On 12/21/2021 at 5:06 PM, Supermilo said:

Posting these links for Club Ping (Japan Ping "Professional golf" users "club") and Hinako's latest WITB - usually updated so that way people can just click on this for future reference...  (An aside, too bad Ai and Mamiko didn't bother playing in the LPGA -- Mamiko's game has gone south the past few years however, after she got married)

 

https://clubping.jp/campaign/present21/?fbclid=IwAR3arE0PZwA0hA1kRNXqekV0NzJBXXCzDQU_Pml7vXW2bsI3WIPhXOvMliY#movie

 

https://clubping.jp/tourpro/shibuno.html

 

 

 

 

PING PLD should hook her up....ASAP.

 

Would love to see Mone Inami and Erika Hara on the LPGA Tour.

 

 

 

Edited February 1, 2022 by Viper4225

[KBong]

2 hours ago, Viper4225 said:

Would love to see Mone Inami and Erika Hara on the LPGA Tour.

 

Totally agree...hope the qualify and register for 2022 Q-Series.

[18majors]

2 hours ago, Viper4225 said:

Erika Hara

 

 

 

2022 JLPGA season is critical for Erika.  She desperately wanted to play 2023 USWO at Pebble Beach and she needs to reach Rolex #75 to do that.  She most likely will give LPGA Q-School a try once she reaches #75 and is exempted into Q-Series.

 

She's currently #90, she'll get inside #75 if she wins at least two JLPGA events this year.

 

 

[KBong]

1 hour ago, 18majors said:

2022 JLPGA season is critical for Erika.  She desperately wanted to play 2023 USWO at Pebble Beach

How do you know?....is there a post from Erika saying so or do you personally know Erika and know what she's thinking about.

 

For someone who has never attended a LPGA or woman's event (or has never said so)...you sure do know a lot about how many of these female golfers are thinking about.

[18majors]

1 minute ago, KBong said:

How do you know?....is there a post from Erika saying so or do you personally know Erika and know what she's thinking about.

 

 

I read it from one Japanese article, I used Google to translate.

 

Maybe @Supermilohas read that article too!  If not, I'll find it.

[AWinfortheAges]

With Yuka, Ayaka and Shibuno gone who steps up to get their wins? Minami Katsu? Sakura Kowai? More Mone domination? Yui and Ai Suzuki resurgence? Jiyai Shin was rather quiet last season. 

[HMHS]

5 hours ago, AWinfortheAges said:

With Yuka, Ayaka and Shibuno gone who steps up to get their wins? Minami Katsu? Sakura Kowai? More Mone domination? Yui and Ai Suzuki resurgence? Jiyai Shin was rather quiet last season. 

don't forget there's still Yuna Nishimura (the mighty mite! she's <5ft tall), Erika, and maybe some new ones come bk to form eg the former LPGA Qseries top 10'er Yui Kawamoto, etc... Still waiting for Yasuda (former Asian Amateur Winner) to win (though she's kinda underwhelming so far)... 

[HMHS]

6 hours ago, 18majors said:

 

I read it from one Japanese article, I used Google to translate.

 

Maybe @Supermilohas read that article too!  If not, I'll find it.

this is/was/continues to be my latest summary ==> posted in this thread on page 2...

 

16 Japanese players who are in the top 100 in the women's world as of December 27th.

◎ 6th place Nasa Hataoka
◎ 8th place Yuka Saso
○ 14th place Ayaka Furue
× 16th place Mone Inami (2nd place)
○ 37th place Hinako Shibuno
? 38th place Mao Saigo (5th place)
? 43rd place Yuna Nishimura (4th place)
× 62nd place Sakura Kogure (3rd place)
△ 64th place Mimu Yamashita (12th place)
× 66th place Ai Suzuki (15th place)
× 70th place Momoko Ueda (9th place)
△ 72nd place Minami (7th)
? 79th place Ayaka Takahashi (8th place)
? 86th place Yuri Yoshida (22nd place)
△ 92nd place Erika Hara (10th place)
? 98th place Momoko Osato (13th place)

Legend: ◎ = Participating in the US tour, ○ = Participating starting next season, △ = Indicated interest in participating in the Q series 2022, ? = wait and see, × no interest other than JLPGA

[HMHS]

Latest news/video that I recall on Erika and her "wanting to go abroad" (Eg LPGA) (some can try google translate but not sure if the do it well here)

 

https://www.alba.co.jp/tour/news/article/no=178786

 

 

[18majors]

7 hours ago, KBong said:

How do you know?....is there a post from Erika saying so or do you personally know Erika and know what she's thinking about.

 

 

I haven't located the Pebble Beach article; but she indicated in the article mentioned by @Supermilo the desire to come to the US.

 

This is another article before 2021 JLPGA season:

The US challenge is "this year or next year" 2021 will be a series of "adventures" [Erika Hara, long interview before the opening]

 

"Since I was sent to Australia two years ago (19) (ISPS Handa Australian Women's Open), I have wanted to fight abroad. However, considering the world rank, I think it's still a long way off. I was thinking that I would like to go after becoming a prize queen in Japan. But after I went to the United States, I became more and more eager to go while I was young. If possible, I would like to challenge QT this year or next year."
 

[HMHS]

11 minutes ago, 18majors said:

 

I haven't located the Pebble Beach article; but she indicated in the article mentioned by @Supermilo the desire to come to the US.

 

This is another article before 2021 JLPGA season:

The US challenge is "this year or next year" 2021 will be a series of "adventures" [Erika Hara, long interview before the opening]

 

"Since I was sent to Australia two years ago (19) (ISPS Handa Australian Women's Open), I have wanted to fight abroad. However, considering the world rank, I think it's still a long way off. I was thinking that I would like to go after becoming a prize queen in Japan. But after I went to the United States, I became more and more eager to go while I was young. If possible, I would like to challenge QT this year or next year."
 

In the video link that I posted -- she briefly talks about playing abroad as a goal and focusing on qualifying for  the majors (overseas) -- -- 4:30 mark more or less and 7:!5 mark...

Edited February 2, 2022 by HMHS

[KBong]

21 hours ago, AWinfortheAges said:

With Yuka, Ayaka and Shibuno gone who steps up to get their wins? Minami Katsu? Sakura Kowai? More Mone domination? Yui and Ai Suzuki resurgence? Jiyai Shin was rather quiet last season. 

Supposedly Mone has recovered from a sore back.

I'm disappointed that Mone only wants to play the JLPGA.

But if one performs...one can have a good career and money too... on the JLPGA...especially if one dominates...and let's not forget about the endorsements.

[HMHS]

5 hours ago, KBong said:

Supposedly Mone has recovered from a sore back.

I'm disappointed that Mone only wants to play the JLPGA.

But if one performs...one can have a good career and money too... on the JLPGA...especially if one dominates...and let's not forget about the endorsements.

Yes nothing wrong with staying in the JLPGA... it's extra tournaments for me to follow/watch... And I love following the culture and that country's intricacies, in general (as we've seen sometimes even in this thread when we digress to other things lol)... Been fascinated by it since I went to tsukuba expo in '86... (No I'm not an adult then yet in 86 :P)

Edited February 2, 2022 by HMHS
Tsukuba expo was in 86 not 89, as initially typed...