<figure id="attachment_234049" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1856px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234049"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="f62f5073"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/aflo_143716636.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234049" class="wp-caption-text">Karen Tsuruoka (22)</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Yuka Yasuda (21)</h2>
<p>The new season of women&#8217;s professional golf got off to a tumultuous start from the very first round. In the opening round, third-year pro Mao Nishigo (20) won for the first time, ahead of last season&#8217;s top-ranked player Mone Inami (22), third-ranked Sakura Ogoshi (23), and fifth-ranked Yuna Nishimura (21). Mao Saigo, 20, in her third year as a professional, won her first tournament, overturning a five-shot deficit on the final day.</p>
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<p><strong> The level of women&#8217;s professional golf today is very high. There are many talents who can aim for their first win. Yuka Yasuda (21) is one to watch. Shingo Kakutani, my former high school teacher, said, &#8220;In baseball, she is a home run hitter. Her explosiveness is a characteristic of her, as her former high school teacher, Shingo Kakutani, said, &#8220;In baseball, she is like a home run hitter.</strong></p>
<figure id="attachment_234056" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2051px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234056"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="cd9e581c"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/aflo_170445206.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234056" class="wp-caption-text">Last season, his control was stable, ranking 19th among all players in fairway keeping rate. He has performed well from April to August, when the weather gets warmer, and there are high expectations for his first win in the first half of the season.</figcaption></figure>
<p><strong> Last season, he suffered from a cervical sprain suffered during the season, but has recovered. He is the leading candidate to win the championship for the first time. I also have high expectations for Waki Motohana (24), whose average driving distance of over 240 yards, thanks to her height of 174 cm, is a big attraction,&#8221; said sports writer Kim Myung-woo.</strong></p>
<p>There are also rookies of note who passed the professional test last year and will start full-fledged competition this year.</p>
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<p><strong> Chisato, 19, the younger sister of the Iwai sisters who both passed the pro exam at the first try, has a driver that averages over 235 yards. She has won a championship on the lower tour, so she has a good track record.</strong></p>
<p>The combination of ability and beauty is the hallmark of this season&#8217;s heroine candidates.&#8217; Who will be the Queen of Tsuyokawa to win the 2010 season?</p>
<h2>Hana Wakimoto (24)</h2>
<p>His driver is one of the longest driving distances among all the players. As she recalls, &#8220;I had trouble with my putter all of last season,&#8221; so consistency on the greens is an issue for her.</p>
<figure id="attachment_234054" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234054"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="a9af193c"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/aflo_167546564.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234054" class="wp-caption-text">Hana Wakimoto (24)</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Naruha Miyata (24)</h2>
<p>He has been studying under Mikihito Kuromiya since last year, and his par-on rate has dramatically improved. He is also attracting attention as a fashion icon and has over 30,000 followers on Instagram.</p>
<figure id="attachment_234050" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1894px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234050"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="0cc52e7e"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/aflo_146131973.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234050" class="wp-caption-text">Naruha Miyata (24)</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Hikari Tanabe (24)</h2>
<p>By holding his grip extremely short, he was able to stabilize control of his putter and bunker shots. This is the first time this season that he has been seeded. Can he carry his momentum into his long-awaited victory?</p>
<figure id="attachment_234052" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1861px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234052"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="311d7d7a"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/aflo_162739150.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234052" class="wp-caption-text">Hikari Tanabe (24)</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Akira Yamaji (23)</h2>
<p>Last season, he played &#8220;aggressive golf&#8221; and was seeded for the first time. She is a flyer, boasting an average distance of 250 yards with her driver. He has been working on strengthening his muscles in the off-season and is aiming for a distance of over 260 yards this season.</p>
<figure id="attachment_234058" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1972px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234058"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="c591e235"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/aflo_173085771.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234058" class="wp-caption-text">Akira Yamaji (23)</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Karen Tsuruoka (22)</h2>
<p>With his strong driver and irons as his weapons, he had a breakthrough year last season, ranking in the top 10 four times. The key to victory will be how much he can improve his putter, which is a problem.</p>
<figure id="attachment_234049" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1856px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234049"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="f62f5073"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/aflo_143716636.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234049" class="wp-caption-text">Karen Tsuruoka (22)</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Reika Usui (23)</h2>
<p>He has good control of the putter and recorded two second-place finishes last season. Her nickname is &#8220;Rachel&#8221; because of her neat looks.</p>
<figure id="attachment_234057" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234057"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="fc5ad3c7"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/aflo_171512229.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234057" class="wp-caption-text">Reika Usui (23)</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Chisato Iwai (19)<br>
First year of full-scale tour participation</h2>
<p>She and her twin sister, Meiai, have been competing as professionals all year round since this season. Last year, she won once and finished runner-up once on the lower tours. She hopes to use her long-distance driver effectively.</p>
<figure id="attachment_234051" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1874px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234051"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="3c1a058b"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/aflo_162239496.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234051" class="wp-caption-text">Chisato Iwai (19) First year on the tour</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Minori Hashizoe (21)<br>
First year on tour</h2>
<p>She is a thoroughbred, with her father a senior pro and all four sisters having golf experience. She started playing golf at the age of 3 under her father&#8217;s guidance. Her greatest strength is her stable putting.</p>
<figure id="attachment_234048" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1944px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234048"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="e172dad7"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/10000000000000083169_20220304174724041732_P211202000019.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234048" class="wp-caption-text">Minori Hashizoe (21) First year on the tour</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Saho Yamada (23)<br>
First year on Tour</h2>
<p>While her hometown girl of the same age, Sakura Ogoshi, is playing well, she has failed the professional test three times. She practiced hard while working as a caddie. She is determined to make a comeback with her well-established control.</p>
<figure id="attachment_234055" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1901px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234055"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="4fdf3914"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/aflo_167946770.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234055" class="wp-caption-text">Saho Yamada (23) In her first year on the tour</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Momoko Uete (24)<br>
First year on tour</h2>
<p>He is a late bloomer, making his professional debut at the age of 23, but he is a highly accomplished player with no major flaws.</p>
<figure id="attachment_234053" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1882px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234053"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="78db3a2b"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/03/aflo_163335439.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-234053" class="wp-caption-text">Momoko Uete (24), in her first full year on the tour</figcaption></figure>
<p>From the March 25, 2022 issue of FRIDAY</p>


 Aflo Sankei Shimbun

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