The true faces of the 17 “heroines of this season” of Japanese women’s professional golf…!

Kashiwabara Asuka (25) 1,879,630 yen [70].

There are only about 10 matches left. The Japan Women’s Professional Golf Tour has finally entered its climax.

This magazine has picked out the young professionals who are sure to make the second half of the season exciting.

Moenei Inami (22) 205,729,149 yen 【1】.

One of the most notable players is Moenei Inami, who is currently No. 1 on the money list. Golf journalist Koichi Miyazaki asserts, “She’s in a different league now.

“The most important point is that she always takes her chances. The most important point is that she is always ready to take her chances. She is sure to make the important putts. Moreover, she is playing calmly and smiling. His rhythm never changes. This is not easy to do. Inami’s confidence was boosted after winning the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics. I don’t see any blind spots in the current Inami.

On the other hand, there are many talented players of her generation who are trying to keep Inami at bay. There are many talented players of her generation who will try to keep Inami in the lead.

“Among the top-ranked players, Yuna Nishimura and Ayaka Furue are the ones to watch. Especially Furue, who finished 4th in the Evian Championship, a major overseas this year, is stable and mentally strong. Among the younger players, I am most interested in Mao Nishigo. She hasn’t won yet, but she has enough ability and will definitely emerge as a force to be reckoned with. Saigo’s strength is her fighting spirit. On the other hand, Erika Hara, another disciple of Jumbo Ozaki, has been sluggish this season.

I hope she will be inspired by Saigo and get up to speed. In the second half of the season, I have high hopes for Inami, Furue, Nishimura, Saigo, and of course, Koshuku. If she becomes more greedy, the battle for the prize money queen will become even more interesting.

Who will be this year’s heroine?

Sakura Koihui (23) 173,217,583 yen 【2】.

Out of the 27 matches she has played this year, she has finished in the top 5 10 times, giving her an excellent sense of stability. She calls herself athletically illiterate, but her core strength allows her to hit sharp shots. 158cm

Ayaka Furue (21) 134,051,325 yen [3

The first of the “millennium generation” born in 2000. Ranked third in the world by Japan, she narrowly missed qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics. This summer, she also competed in the Evian Championships in France and the All England Women’s OP. 153cm

Yuna Nishimura (21) 127,329,556 yen [4].

A member of the “millennium generation” like Furue. She won her first victory on tour last year, and this year she won her first domestic major. Despite her small stature, her fairway holding percentage is overwhelmingly high. 150cm

Mao Saigo (19) 17,113,191 yen [6].

With four second-place finishes this year and a hole-in-one in July, her first professional victory is only a matter of time. She is a first year student at the Jumbo Ozaki Golf Academy led by Shoji Ozaki. 158cm

Yuka Saso (20) 9,772,942 yen [7].

The youngest player in history to win this year’s U.S. Women’s Open. The average distance of her driver is over 260 yards. The average distance with a driver is over 260 yards, and sometimes it exceeds 290 yards. 166 cm

Erika Kikuchi (33) 9,761,849 yen [8].

A talented player who has maintained her seedings for eight consecutive years. amidst the success of players in their early twenties, she won her first Tour title in four years in June.’ Married a professional caddie in Dec. ’19. 157 cm

Eirika Hara (22) 9,270,011 yen [9].

Her driver flies 260 yards. She is one of the best flyers on the domestic tour and was in good form last year, winning two domestic majors, but her performance has been poor this year. She is expected to make a comeback in the second half of the season. 173cm

Momoko Ohsato (23) 7,874,166 yen【13

Momoko Ohsato has often been reported in the media as a close friend of fellow competitor Hinako Shibuno, but this season she has also made great strides. In particular, she was in great shape in May, winning once and finishing second four times. 171cm

Yuri Yoshida (21) 6,698,423 yen [18].

In high school, she won the Japan Women’s Amateur and the Japan Junior Championship. She won her first victory on the tour in July this year and her second victory in September. She is known for her skillful putts. 158cm

Kotone Hori (25) 5,599,332 yen [25].

In her 8th year as a pro, she won for the first time on tour in July this year. She was unseeded in 2006, but has come back with flying colors. She and her sister Natsuka became only the second pair of sisters in Japan to win the tournament. 163cm

Kana Mikashima (25) 4,876,919 yen [34].

She is known for her consistent driver shot. She is aiming for her first professional win with her father, who is her main caddie. Since last year, she has been studying under Sho Aoki, former coach of Hinako Shibuno. 164cm

Reika Usui (22) 3,632,835 yen [40

Nicknamed “Rachel,” she aspired to be a member of the Takarazuka Revue until she was 11. Her trademark is the large ribbon she wears in her hair. She has finished second twice this season and is on the verge of her first victory. 158cm

Hikaru Yoshimoto (22) 2,641,087 yen [49].

A former competitive golfer who is one year older than her. Her older sister, Momoka, a former competitive golfer, supports her as a caddie and manager. 152cm

Hina Aragaki (22) 2,303,375 yen [56].

Hina Niigaki has been in the spotlight since her junior days, and won her first professional tournament in 2006 at the age of 19. She tied for third at the Golf 5 Ladies in September this year, narrowly missing her second win on the tour in three years. 165 cm

Yuka Yasuda (20) 2,087,866 yen【64

As an amateur, she was the best amateur at the Evian Championship, a major overseas, and also competed in the British Women’s Open. She has been struggling as a professional, however. 163cm

Asuka Kashiwabara (25) 18,797,630 yen [70].

A tall professional who made a big breakthrough with two wins in ’19. She is a tall professional who won two tournaments in 2007.

The numbers below her name indicate the amount of prize money she has won this season and her prize money ranking (as of September 12; this season is a combination of the ’20 and ’21 seasons).

From “FRIDAY” October 1, 2021 issue