<figure id="attachment_253245" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1671px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-253245"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="40e32d37"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/07/04e257a22d4400c3997982c65bc19bba.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-253245" class="wp-caption-text">Sakura Kohogi (24)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_253240" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-253240"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="c694be2f"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/07/d4d991226816aa9a05f57b986e54ea82.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-253240" class="wp-caption-text">Saigo won the opening round and Yamashita tied for 4th place. The two, who represent the millennium generation, smiled and praised each other&#8217;s efforts after the match.</figcaption></figure>
<p>The first half of the domestic women&#8217;s golf season ended on July 10. This season has already seen the birth of numerous dramas.</p>
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<h3>Miyu Yamashita (20), Mao Saigo (20)</h3>
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<p>The &#8220;Millennium Generation,&#8221; born in 2001, led the tour, surpassing last year&#8217;s money queen, Mone Inami (22). Mao Saigo (20) showed an overwhelming performance, winning five of her ten matches, starting with her victory at the Daikin Orchid Ladies, the opening round of the season. Atsushi Akasaka, a member of the Japan Golf Journalists Association, said.</p>
<p><strong> Last year, I finished second seven times, and I thought that if I won once, I would be in good shape. This year, he has been making birdies and eagles at critical moments that directly affect the outcome. I think the winning instinct I have cultivated has led to my good results.<br>
Compared to his junior days, he is now more than one size bigger and his driver distance is over 240 yards. This is the result of the guidance of his mentor, Jumbo Ozaki (75).</strong></p>
<p>With a total prize fund of approximately 99 million yen, she is on track to surpass the 200 million yen mark, which Lee Bo-mee (33) achieved in 2003. Saigo&#8217;s biggest rival is Miyu Yamashita (20), who is the same age as Saigo and has won twice this season.</p>
<p><strong> She is small at 150 cm tall, but she has a good approach and is very consistent, ranking third among all players in terms of pars saved. Her teacher is Tsuneyuki Nakajima (67), Jumbo&#8217;s nemesis. It will be interesting to see how the rivalry has been passed on to his disciple,&#8221; said Akasaka.</strong></p>
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<p>The highlight for Inami, who is in third place in the rankings, was the Nichirei Ladies in June. Inami&#8217;s highlight was at the Nichirei Ladies in June, where she made a hole-in-one on the last day and showed a big smile on her face. Despite her early struggles, Inami has finished in the top 10 seven times in her last nine tournaments, including one win. Legendary golf legend Yuko Moriguchi, who boasts a total of 41 wins on the tour, is giving her assurance that the second half of the season will be more winnable.</p>
<p><strong> In the first half of the season, my shots tended to go the other way. I think this was due to the fact that I increased my swing speed in order to increase distance while competing against overseas players, which made my swing less consistent. But I am overcoming this problem. I have high expectations for the second half of the season.</strong></p>
<p>A great record was also set. Yuna Nishimura, 21, who won the Nichirei Ladies where Inami recorded a hole-in-one, became the 12th player in history to achieve a &#8220;no bogey&#8221; victory. At the press conference</p>
<p><strong> I hit every hole with confidence. It was the first time I could play three days with no bogeys. I was very happy.</strong></p>
<p>I was very happy.</p>
<p>Sakura Ogoshi (24) has played 147 consecutive matches in Japan and the U.S. since June at the Shiseido Ladies Open. At the U.S. Women&#8217;s Open in June, she played well in her second overseas major and finished in 20th place, the best among the Japanese players.</p>
<p>The 10th member of the Golden Generation to win the KKT Cup Banteling Ladies in April was Nozomi Uetake (23), carrying her family&#8217;s wishes on her shoulders. Sportswriter Myung-Woo Kim said, &#8220;When I was a sophomore in high school, my parents divorced.</p>
<p><strong> Since her parents divorced when she was a sophomore in high school, her mother worked two jobs to support Uetake. This victory was won through the bond between mother and daughter.</strong></p>
<p>The second half of the tour will begin on July 21. Who will become the first annual queen in the Mercedes Ranking, a new point system introduced this year?</p>
<p><strong> The favorite is Saigo, who experienced an overseas major in June and has improved her ability to play on grass and course settings that are different from those in Japan. The front-runner is probably Inami. He has recovered from the back pain he suffered last year, and his condition is improving,&#8221; said Akasaka.</strong></p>
<p>There are still more players to watch out for.</p>
<p><strong> Yuri Yoshida (22) has finished second twice this season, and is still in contention with the leaders. He has a strong competitive spirit, and if he gets a chance, I think he will be involved in the title contention.</strong></p>
<p>Among the players who will win the right to participate in the second half of the regular tour, veterans such as Hana Waki (24), who is riding high after her first win on the professional tour this season, Kumiko Kaneda (32), and Sakura Yokomine (36) are all eyeing the top spots with an eagle eye.</p>
<p>Will the winner be the new generation, last season&#8217;s queen, or the dark horse? Who will be the first queen under the new system?</p>
<h3>Sakura Kohogi (24)</h3>
<p>The ironman Ogugi, who continues to break the record for consecutive matches played, won for the first time this season at the &#8220;Resort Trust Ladies&#8221; in May. Surrounded by her fans, she was all smiles.</p>
<figure id="attachment_253244" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-253244"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="bb08e547"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/07/ca5d7900de207c8bc13e5d04881771d0.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-253244" class="wp-caption-text">Sakura Kogi (24)</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Mone Inami(22)</h3>
<p>Last season&#8217;s Money Champion is overjoyed after recording her second professional hole-in-one. She will be looking to carry her momentum into the second half of the season.</p>
<figure id="attachment_253239" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-253239"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="5e5cc303"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/07/fc7926ad1e330fa9cd3f953e39755d4b.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-253239" class="wp-caption-text">Mone Inami(22)</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Nozomi Uetake(23)</h3>
<p>Immediately after winning the tournament, she was sobbing as she was congratulated by Kohgui and the other players who played in the playoff. She had practiced hard while working part-time, and was able to win this tournament.</p>
<figure id="attachment_253242" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-253242"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="dceec239"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/07/4c3fdd2fadfb4dedf812f0dbe001f5d7.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-253242" class="wp-caption-text">Nozomi Uetake(23)</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Yuna Nishimura(21)</h3>
<p>Nishimura boasts of her high popularity and ability, and at the Salonpas Cup in May, which attracted more than 6,000 people, fans moved in large numbers to meet her.</p>
<figure id="attachment_253237" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2402px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-253237"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="e16ce4ef"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/07/e257c1050ec3b57c87ba96c1c275076e.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-253237" class="wp-caption-text">Yuna Nishimura(21)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_253238" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1840px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-253238"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="3dfd6475"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/07/a623b4aec1a794d5453953d2dd3dcd5f.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-253238" class="wp-caption-text">Yuna Nishimura(21)</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Yuri Yoshida(22)</h3>
<p>The visual queen, nicknamed &#8220;Cosmetics Watchdog,&#8221; also appeared at the first pitch ceremony in June this year. She also continues to play well.</p>
<figure id="attachment_253236" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2051px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-253236"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="d1e67524"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/07/531b14b3507518a1534b8eab7d1dacb1.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-253236" class="wp-caption-text">Yuri Yoshida(22)</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Hana Wakimoto (24)</h3>
<p>After making her professional debut in 2006, she won for the first time in her five-year career. She is ranked 2nd in the money ranking on the lower tours, where she plays her main event.</p>
<figure id="attachment_253241" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2107px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-253241"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="ef2d66c9"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/07/8182972cdabc4773f3fa17a875a40703.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-253241" class="wp-caption-text">Hana Wakimoto (24)</figcaption></figure>
<p>From the July 22, 2022 issue of FRIDAY</p>


 Getty Images (Saigo, Yamashita, Ogoshi, Uetake, Wakimoto) Afro (Inami, Nishimura) Kyodo News (Yoshida)

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