From a top-ranked high school gem to a natural rookie with a solid record of achievement… “This Season’s Heroine Candidates” in Women’s Professional Golf

In recent years, young players have emerged prominently on the Japanese women’s golf tour, but while some win early, many others struggle behind the scenes and take time to achieve results. The stories of their golfing careers are also varied. In addition to the rookies we introduced in the first part of this report, we also spotlighted two young players who we expect to make their breakthrough in the future.

In the first part, we introduced Suzu Yoshida and Kanako Aoki!

From a gem who has been competing for the championship since her first round to the younger sister of a popular pro… “The Appeal of Heroine Candidates” who are emerging one after another in the world of women’s professional golf

Minami Kiyomoto (Minami Kiyomoto, 19)

I wonder how much the title of “the top high school student to pass the professional golf test” weighed on her shoulders. In 2011, she passed the protest as the first runner-up. She was ranked 100th in the QT Finals for the ’24 season, which limited her chances to play on the regular tour, but her cute looks made her a player to watch.

In her rookie year of 2012, she played 9 matches on the regular tour, but only qualified for the “Resort Trust Ladies” where she tied for 50th place. She also played 12 tournaments on the lower tours, but her best finish was a tie for 22nd at the Yanmar Hanasaka Ladies. In his second year of golf, Kiyomoto is looking to make a comeback, and I approached him at the “V Point x SMBC Ladies,” his second domestic tournament.

I told her, “It’s all good experience. Technically speaking, last year I often bent my tee shots and my iron shots were poor, so I couldn’t hit the greens very well. I managed to get by with my approach shots and putter a lot.”

Despite this, he finished 25th in the QT Finals last November. I think I have the ability to endure now,” he said confidently.

This off-season, he says he has devoted most of his time to golf, even though he has had no time to relax.

I feel guilty if I don’t practice, or if I don’t practice, because everyone else is doing it, and that’s where the gap between me and them is already there. I spend my time not only practicing, but also training, and listening to other people’s stories.

On the other hand, he needs to refresh himself. I decide what I want to do during the season. For example, I like to find my favorite movies, and I also like to get my nails done to refresh myself.

Her second season has just started, but the result was that she failed to qualify in two matches. He vows to make it a season of humiliation by qualifying well in the early spring tournaments.

Hinano Muguruma (22)

Hinano Muguruma has been competing on the professional tour since her amateur days, and is a promising talent who has competed in the “Augusta National Women’s Amateur Tour” three times. She will be making her professional debut as a rookie this season, but her main competition will be on the Step Up Tour, a lower-level event.

However, there is a method called “waiting” in which a player waits to be moved up to the next round in the event of an absence. In fact, Rokuguma was seen practicing hard at the “V Point x SMBC Ladies” event. While other players were leaving, he was practicing his approach until late in the evening.

I can’t play this time, but if there is a match I can play in, I would like to try to play in this way.

Perhaps because some of her peers who have passed the professional test, such as Suzu Yoshida (21) and Kanako Aoki (24), have already achieved results on the domestic tour, she seemed to be restraining her impetuousness. As an amateur, she played 33 tournaments on the JLPGA Tour, and her performance and experience are sufficient to give her a breakthrough if only she can get into the game. I have an image of what I will be like when I get out on the field.

I am confident in my ability to recover even if the first shot is not good, so my strength lies in my ability to endure small moves. I can also attack with a utility and hit it right by the pin, so that is what I want people to see.

Her tone of voice is relaxed and her atmosphere is relaxed. My tone is relaxed and my atmosphere is friendly. People often laugh at me when I talk to them,” he says, analyzing his own personality. At first glance, his eagerness to win does not come across, but he is more serious about golf than others, as he practices in detention later than anyone else. When I water it down, he laughs, “I don’t think I look like I hate to lose, but I guess I have about as much as anyone else (laughs).

He says he loves idols, but he also has some unexpected hobbies.

I’m into Nogizaka46 (laughs). I like Haruka Kaki (23). I also like boxing or martial arts and have been watching a lot recently.

Her first professional match will be at the “Yanmar Hanasaka Ladies” tournament (April 3-5, Shiga Prefecture). My goal is to win the step event and qualify for the regular tour in the second half of the season,” she says, “so of course I am aiming for my first professional win on the lower tours. We expect her to make a breakthrough in her debut tournament.

In addition to the four introduced so far, there are many other young players to watch, such as second-year player Yumeno Masada (24), who made her big breakthrough last year. It will be interesting to see how these girls perform, as well as how the battle for the queen of the year goes.