LPGA Tour in Japan for Mizuno Classic
BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2008 Mizuno Classic | Preview | 05 Nov 2008
The LPGA Tour moves to Japan this week for the Mizuno Classic where Momoko Ueda will defend the title she won by two shots over Reilley Ranking and Maria Hjorth last year.
This year’s venue is the Kinetsu Kashikojima Country Club in Shima-shi, Mie, on the south east coast of the island of Honshu.
Momoko Ueda earned LPGA Tour status for the first time when she won this event twelve months ago and took advantage of the co-sanctioning benefit of the event which included immediate LPGA Tour membership. Ueda has played in both Japan and the US this season and has won twice in Japan in addition to a solid first season in the US. If she were to win again it would be of little surprise to most.
The leading player in the field however will be the brilliant Yani Tseng who has rise to the rank of number two in the world in just her rookie season on the LPGA Tour.
British Open Champion Ji Yai Shin looks to continue her remarkable year which started in February with a near miss at the Australian Women’s Open and culminated at the Women’s British Open at Sunningdale.
Morgan Pressel is another obvious chance in the event but there are many Korean and Japanese golfers who could easily win and gain access to the LPGA Tour.
Of the Australians, Karrie Webb, Lindsey Wright, Rachel Hetherington and Japan LPGA player Nikki Campbell get their chances to improve their 2008 season.
