LPGA Tour in Japan
BY Bruce Young | Japan Ladies Tour | 2011 Mizuno Classic | Preview | 02 Nov 2011
Japan plays host to the LPGA this week when the Mizuno Open is played at the Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club in Shima-shi, Mie, Japan on the South East coast of Honshu.
The tournament has been played at this same venue in each of the last five years and on two of those occasions Jiyai Shin has been victorious.
Last year Shin defeated Yani Tseng by two shots but, surprisingly, Tseng is not in this year’s line-up.
Shin is not quite the same player she was when winning back in 2010 in fact that was her last victory anywhere after a period where she appeared to de dominating the game. She has not played badly mind you and could yet win an event in 2011 with victory here.
Shin has been bothered by niggling injury issues for much of the season. “I have played a little bit up and down and have not won this year. I’ve had some injuries. My lower back has had pain since two months ago. It is [inflammation] in my discs. I went to an Asian hospital and I don’t have to have surgery. I am taking medicine and stretching.
“At the beginning of the season this year, I changed a lot of things. I changed my training, my coach and my caddie. After the first few events, I was really up and down. I changed my swing and lost my tempo. My new swing was different. I gained about 15 more yards in distance, but sometimes when I hit it, the ball pushed or pulled. I needed more consistency. So I tried to get back to my old swing. It’s much better this week, with better timing, and I think I should be good this week.”
In the absence of Tseng Na Yeon Choi appears as if she might be the biggest threat to Shin defending her title. Choi has been brilliant all season and although she has won only one LPGA Tour event she has been runner-up on several occasions and has also won on the Korean LPGA Tour.
Nearly half the field are Japan LPGA Tour players and if there was to be a challenge to either Shin or Choi it could come from the likes of the leading two money winners in Japan this year, Sun Ju Ahn and Chie Arimura.
The limited nature of the field in this co sanctioned event means that the only two Australians in the tournament are former winner, Karrie Webb, and Japan LPGA Tour regular Nikki Campbell. Neither is having a particularly successful year but get another chance this week.
