<figure id="attachment_397309" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 3968px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-397309"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="9c50d43a"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/10/0c5096e15fdc012f3739c9ace7616afe.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-397309" class="wp-caption-text">Saigo is playing in a way that one would not expect from his first challenge on the U.S. Tour. Unlike his days in Japan, even the atmosphere seems to have changed, but what is the reason for this? &#8230;&#8230;</figcaption></figure>
<h3>The mystery behind the drastically changed atmosphere</h3>
<p>The first great accomplishment in 34 years is just around the corner.</p>
<p>Mao Nishigo, 23, who will be competing on the U.S. Women&#8217;s Golf Tour (LPGA) this season, is showing impressive performance on the world&#8217;s most prestigious stage. She is currently in the lead in the &#8220;Rookie of the Year&#8221; competition, which is open to players in their first year on the LPGA Tour. If she were to win the Rookie of the Year award, she would be the first Japanese player to win the award in 34 years, since Hiromi Kobayashi (current president of the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association) in 1990.</p>
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<p>With only four tournaments remaining this season, golfers are saying that Nishigo has a good chance of winning the title, and it is easy to see why, as she has finished in the top 10 seven times, including second place at the CPKC Women&#8217;s Open in July and at the Puig LPGA Shanghai in October. She is also the only player to finish in the top 10 at the Women&#8217;s LPGA Shanghai in October. Not only does she lead the Rookie of the Year competition, but she is also ninth in the overall Tour point ranking (as of October 29). His par-on-percentage of 75.9% ranks third among all players, and his iron shots are among the sharpest on the U.S. Tour.</p>
<p>Why is Xigo doing so well on the U.S. Tour?</p>
<p>I met Saigo for the first time in a while at the BMW Women&#8217;s Championship, a women&#8217;s tour event held in Korea, and noticed that she had changed her mood considerably compared to when she was in Japan. I was surprised to see how &#8220;talkative&#8221; she had become, especially during the post-match interview. I also got the impression that he had more smiles on his face. When I asked him if the water in his life here suited him, he said, &#8220;I think it does.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> I think it suits me. I feel it is very rewarding. I want to compete on the LPGA for a long time. The level of players is the same, but I feel that players here are more committed to golf. I feel like everyone here has something &#8220;close&#8221; to me.</span></p>
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<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="I even have someone who looks up to me like an older sister."></div>
<figure id="attachment_397310" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 3835px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-397310"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="533be20a"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/10/5a140e5aa5bdb3283fa79f73bcb5d584.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-397310" class="wp-caption-text">The irons are also excellent, and the driver is also brilliant. The secret of his rapid progress may be his high overall ability.</figcaption></figure>
<h3>The joy of making new friends</h3>
<p>The U.S. Tour is a place where players from various countries with different backgrounds and circumstances gather, so you can feel the difference in the way they devote their lives to the game of golf. Saigo, whose mentor is Jumbo Ozaki (Masashi Ozaki, 77), has been a highly professional player since he was in Japan, but I have a feeling that many of the players in the U.S. are more like him.</p>
<p>However, this is in large part due to Saigo&#8217;s own proactive efforts to &#8220;change. When I told him, &#8220;I feel like the atmosphere has changed more than when I was in Japan,&#8221; he smiled and said, &#8220;Basically, I work as a team.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> Basically, we work as a team. We don&#8217;t go somewhere together, but when I meet everyone, we talk. But when I have to do my own thing, I switch off. Even when I talk to players, I don&#8217;t linger on and on, but quickly switch gears. I feel comfortable with that sense of distance.</span></p>
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<p>The entire U.S. tour has an atmosphere of separating &#8220;on&#8221; and &#8220;off&#8221; time, even within the group. From my standpoint of covering the Japanese women&#8217;s tour as well, I feel that there is definitely a difference in the &#8220;balance&#8221; of the tour. She also said that she did not shut herself away just because she was a newcomer, but rather, because she was a first-year newcomer, she actively encouraged others to join her.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> I&#8217;m working hard to improve my English as well (laughs). Since coming to the U.S., I have been trying to actively talk to the people around me. I make more effort to communicate with them than I did during my years on the Japan Tour, when I came to the U.S. only to participate in overseas major tournaments on a spot basis, and they are more receptive.</span></p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> I am especially close with Kim Alim (29, winner of the &#8217;20 U.S. Women&#8217;s Open). She is very supportive and helpful. The other day, I asked her for advice on putting. She is like a caring older sister.</span></p>
<p>Saigo is enjoying making new friends on the tour. I still need to study English,&#8221; she said. My listening has improved a lot. I want to be able to put in more of the words I want to speak and be able to speak them,&#8221; he said happily.</p>
<p>For Saigo, the U.S. tour is definitely a comfortable place to reach great heights. The results of his fulfilling days speak for themselves. His vision is good for a great accomplishment.</p>
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 Myung-Woo Kim

 Kyodo News

 The first great accomplishment in 34 years is about to be born in women's golf in the United States. Mao Saigo, who is playing in her rookie year, is currently leading the Rookie of the Year ranking. We take a closer look at the evolution of Mao Saigo, who has not only changed her game but also her "atmosphere.

Mao Saigo Shares Her Journey as She Nears a Major Milestone in U.S. Women’s Golf

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