Chirei Iwai’s 4 Words of Wisdom Taught by Her Father are Her Secret to her Success!
Combining “Gentleness” and “Strength” at the same time
However, this “gentleness” may have a negative impact on the game. What is noteworthy is the two’s ability to switch from one to the other without bringing their gentleness to the decisive battlefield. A professional coach said, “The two are usually cheerful and friendly, but once they swing their clubs, you can sense that they have a great deal of spirit, as if they are pushing their concentration to the limit. Their ability to switch between the two is amazing.
In mid-May at the “RKB x Mitsui Matsushima Ladies” golf tournament, the two sisters played together in the final group on the second day, as they did in the playoff. However, there was hardly any conversation between the two sisters during the 18 holes, and Mami Fukuda, the other senior player who was playing with them, recalled with a laugh, “They didn’t talk much, so I wondered what I should do in between. The course was filled with a sense of urgency. However, this balance may be what makes it possible to have both gentleness and strength at the same time.”
In the match in Fukuoka, the two sisters set several milestones: the first-ever playoff between sisters, the first-ever championship in the same year between sisters, and the first-ever one-two finish between sisters. In 2021, their debut year, Meia won the Sanyo Shimbun Ladies Cup, the next round of the Castrol Ladies, which was Chirei’s first professional victory on the lower tours, and Meia won the Sanyo Shimbun Ladies Cup, the first time in history that two sisters won two consecutive tournaments.
After the sisters’ playoff, the elder sister said, “I am 80% disappointed, but 20% happy because Chirei won. Next time, I will win! she said honestly. On the other hand, Chirei, the winner, said, “It was a lot of fun. （I want to win (next time, too)! I want to win (again)! The sisters are always together, both on and off the course. The friendly rivalry between the sisters will continue in the future. In the world of sports, it may be cruel to see who wins and who loses. Still, they must feel a great sense of satisfaction in having made their dream come true: “We talked about wanting to play in the playoffs someday,” said Chirei.
Her sister, Meiai, who watched her sister Chirei’s second win of the season from the green, finished in 15th place. The two sisters have only just begun their professional careers, but they will be competing not only in Japan, but also overseas, The stage is set for them to compete not only in Japan but also overseas. Their father, Yuji, who is expected to follow his daughters around the country, must be “squealing with joy.
