From a gem who competed for the championship from the very first round to the younger sister of a popular pro… “Charming Heroine Candidates” Emerging One after Another in the World of Women’s Professional Golf
This season, too, the curtain has been raised on the brilliant competition among women's professional golfers. Among them, there are many rookies who have been ranked in the top ranks from the very first round, foreshadowing the arrival of a new era. Sportswriter Kim Myeong-ik looks at the appeal of these "golden eggs.
This year’s domestic women’s golf tour has started again.
The second round, “V Point x SMBC Ladies,” was held from March 21 to 23, and Yuri Yoshida (24), who mainly plays on the U.S. Tour, closed with a convincing victory by nine shots. The tournament was a hot topic this year, with Hinako Shibuno (26), Minami Katsu (26), and Yuna Nishimura (24), all U.S. Tour players, making spot entries, and rookies and semi-rookies in their first year as pros were also outstanding. We caught up with some of the promising players in the world of women’s golf, where the rise of young players has been remarkable.
Suzu Yoshida (Rin Yoshida, 21)
I was talking with my sister, ‘It would be great if we could play in the same group! I was talking with my sister.
Although she was not able to play in the same group, Yoshida, a rookie in her first year as a professional, is steadily making her name known in the world of women’s golf. She and her sister, Yuri Yoshida, who won the “V Point x SMBC Ladies” tournament for the fourth time in her career, were the hostess pros contracted by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) to liven up the event.
As an amateur, she was a standout performer, participating in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur for two consecutive years. On the other hand, she is also a hard worker who finally passed the professional test last year after her fourth attempt. In her professional debut at the season-opening Daikin Orchid Ladies, she finished in a tie for 15th place with a 1-under-par total after finishing in second place on the first day and passing the qualifying round. In her second round as a hostess professional, she said, “I’m a hostess professional from my hometown and this will be my first tournament, so I want to concentrate on my game and not worry too much about that.
The fact that he was able to qualify is proof of his ability. Although he has only played two rounds, he is ranked 8th with a 78.5714% fairway accuracy rate. With his highly accurate tee shots, he is aiming for a higher finish and a chance to compete for the championship. It is said that players in their first year as pros have a hard time because they have to play every week without a break. What about that?
I think it’s important to keep your motivation up and maintain it,” he said.
Even if I fail to qualify, there will be a match next week.
When asked about her goals for the season, she replied, “I have to play one match at a time so that I can be seeded,
I want to work hard and cherish each and every match so that I can be seeded!
He smiled. She is quite stoic when it comes to golf, but like her older sister, she is also fashionable. While her sister Yuri is known as the “leader in fashion” because of her strong attention to fashion, including wear and makeup, her younger sister Suzu has been a hit since the opening round, wearing golf wear, a tie, and a checkered mini-skirt.
She is now following her sister’s lead in all aspects of her game, but she is determined to catch up and overtake her this season.
Kanako Aoki (24)
I’ve grown so much over the past three days, and I’ve spent the last six years trying to become a pro, so I was a mixture of happy and nervous!
Aoki, who made her professional debut as a rookie at the V Point x SMBC Ladies, the second round of this season’s domestic women’s golf tour, said with a refreshed look on her face. Aoki’s main competition this season is on the Step Up Tour, but she was recommended by the organizer to play in this event. This is his rookie year on the regular tour.
Before the tournament, she said, “Everything is really new to me, so I don’t know what to expect. I’m overwhelmed by the amazing environment here,” she said, feeling a bit intimidated by her sudden appearance on the big stage of the regular tour, but she never forgot her natural smile.
She passed the qualifying round, which was her goal, and on the second day, she temporarily moved up to second place and was in contention for the championship. He was tied for 13th place at 1-over par, but he was happy because his initial goal was to pass the qualifying round,” he said with a carefree smile. As soon as she was seen on TV competing for the top spot, her fan base swelled. Her neat face and good style also drew a large number of galleries to her rounds on Saturday and Sunday. The number of followers on Instagram was about 60,000 before the tournament, but it exceeded 70,000 after the event.
Last year, she passed her sixth attempt at the professional test. After a period of unsuccessful attempts, he moved to Tokyo from his hometown in Miyazaki to get a fresh start. Being in the Kanto region gave him more opportunities to compete, and he honed his skills through actual competition, which led to his passing the test. What is your goal for this season?
“My goals for this season are to win a championship on the Step Tour (lower tours) and to finish in the top 10 on the regular tour,” he says.
He is also aiming to finish in the top 10 on the regular tour. This week, she will be competing in her hometown “Axare Ladies” in Miyazaki, Japan, as a recommended participant.
She is also a self-confessed fashionista, and her coordination of clothing is attracting a lot of attention. She is a “savasabaru” type when you talk to her, but she is a good communicator and attracts people. Even before his debut, he had nine contract sponsors, which is unusual for a rookie, and this is probably due to the fact that he attracts a lot of people with his pleasant personality.
Both Yoshida and Aoki have earned a prominent position among the rookies who passed last year’s professional test. We cannot help but have high expectations for the breakthrough of these new heroine candidates.
In the second part of this article, we introduce two more players of note.
Reporting and writing： Myung-Woo Kim PHOTO： Takehiko Kohiyama
