Pauline Roussin-Bouchard and the former St-Cloud player, the Genevan Albane Valenzuela, will be the only two French speakers at the start of the TOTO Japan Classic.
The Japanese event returns to the LPGA calendar, after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The TOTO Japan Classic, which celebrates its 50th anniversary, will begin this Thursday at the Seta Golf Course, which is hosting the event for the 14th time.

Pauline Roussin-Bouchard

Pauline Roussin-Bouchard qualified for the Evian Championship – ©Tristan Jones/LET

TOTO Japan Classic celebrates its 50th anniversary

During its 50 editions, the TOTO Japan Classic has seen the best players of the LPGA raise its trophy. Two of World Golf Hall of Famer Betsy King's 34 victories came at this event in 1992 and 1993. From 2001 to 2005, undisputed legend Annika Sorenstam was unbeatable at this event. Set in 2003, Sorenstam's points record, 192 (-24), which included two rounds of 63, still stands. Shanshan Feng, the first Chinese player to achieve world No. 2017, won in 2018 and successfully defended her title in XNUMX. The TOTO Japan Classic crowned many LPGA legends as champions, setting an exciting precedent for the coming week.

Shiga's Seta Golf Course host for the 14th time

Since its inception in 1973, the TOTO Japan Classic has been held on various courses in Japan. Since 2016, the event has been held alternately at the Seta Golf Course in Shiga and the Taiheiyo Club in Ibaraki. First visited by the TOTO Japan Classic in 1989, this week will mark the event's 14th visit to the Seta Golf Course. The course was designed by Inoue Seiichi in 1967 and is played over just over 6035 meters with a par 72.

A slew of defending champions

Although the event had been off the LPGA schedule since 2019, the TOTO Japan Classic was still played as part of the JLPGA regular season. So there are two defending champions on the field this week: defending LPGA champion Ai Suzuki, winner in 2019, and defending JLPGA champion Ayaka Furue, who won in 2021.

Suzuki and Furue will take to the course with three other former champions: Jiyai Shin (2008, 2010, 2020), Nasa Hataoka (2018) and Momoko Ueda (2007, 2011). Suzuki's 17-under performance in 2019 was the 17th JLPGA Champion's first victory on the LPGA Tour. Furue, in her first season on the LPGA and becoming the first Rolex winner at the Trust Golf Women's Scottish Open, went 16 under to win in 2021.

A new No. 1 in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings

On Monday, a new number 1 was crowned in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings. Atthaya Thitikul, the 19-year-old from Thailand, dethroned Korean Jin Young Ko, who had held the top spot for 38 weeks. Thitikul's victories at the JTBC Classic presented by Barbasol and the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, in addition to a dozen other top 10 finishes, propelled the young prodigy to the top.

At 19 years, 8 months and 11 days, Thitikul became the second player under 20 to reach world No. 17, joining Lydia Ko who reached world No. 9 at 9 years, 1 months and XNUMX days. Thitikul will defend his number XNUMX spot for the first time at the TOTO Japan Classic.

The rewards update

Seven players still have a mathematical chance of winning the title of Rolex Player of the Year. With her second victory of the season at the BMW Ladies Championship last week, Lydia Ko took a slim one-point advantage over Minjee Lee in the race. But Ko won't be participating in the TOTO Japan Classic, which leaves the door open for Lee or Thitikul, who currently sits in fourth place with 129 points, to make a splash with guaranteed money on the table.

Lee and Thitikul are also in contention for the Vare Trophy, where they will also have an opportunity to catch Ko, for the Aon Risk Reward Challenge, where Lee and Thitikul are first and second respectively, and for the Money list.

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LPGA tour: The Toto Japan Classic canceled