From the secret of her strength to her unexpected problems…The true face of Yumeno Masada, a remarkable rookie in women’s golf, a candidate for the next generation of heroines.
From the tour to the rookie seminar...Sportswriter Myung-Woo Kim, who covered the event on the spot, takes a closer look at the real face of the rookie.
The domestic women’s golf tour ended the 2012 season with Reo Takeda (21), who won eight tournaments during the year, as the Queen of the Year. In addition, Yuri Yoshida (24), Mimu Yamashita (23), Akeia Iwai (22), Chirei Iwai (22), and Sakiki Baba (19) all qualified for the final round of the U.S. Women’s Tour in December, making it a year that was not short of topics.
Following in the footsteps of these “heroines” is 24-year-old Yumeno Masada from Hokkaido, who will be entering her second year as a professional player in 2013. She passed the pro test in 2011, and in her rookie year of 2012, she started the year ranked 147th in the QT Ranking, which determines eligibility for the tour.
Then, in May 2012, she participated in the “Resort Trust Ladies” as an organizer’s recommendation, and performed well, finishing in 8th place, and in June 2012, she passed the “1st Re-ranking,” which determines priority for participation in the second half of the tour. She also surprised everyone by finishing 2nd at the “NEC Karuizawa 72” in August.
He is also one of the most popular players in the field.
The secret of her popularity is her innocent smile, but despite her cuteness, her golf game is aggressive. In her first year on tour, she played aggressive golf, aiming for the pin, and was in contention for seeding for the next season until her final round, the Daio Paper Eliere Ladies in November. As her results improved, the number of galleries following her swelled. Long lines of people waiting to sign autographs after matches became a common sight in the latter half of the tour.
She ended the year ranked 57th in the Mercedes Ranking, missing out on her first seeding, which is given to the 50th-ranked player in the same ranking, but she had a very successful year. Nevertheless, the team finished 9th in the final qualifying round (QT final stage) held at the end of November, earning the right to compete in the first half of next season. Incidentally, the Katsuragi Golf Club Ugari Course in Shizuoka, where the tournament was held, is famous for its strong winds, and one misreading of the course could be fatal. Masada’s persistence in compiling a score in such conditions showed a definite improvement in his golf game. His relieved expression after the match was also impressive.
Last year (’23), I challenged the QT when I was exhausted after the pro test, so I didn’t know what to expect and couldn’t even make it to the finals. This time, I was able to use the experience I gained this year (’24), as well as the way I attacked, and my shots have improved a lot, so I think I was able to play well while taking advantage of that.”
