Shuri Sakuma had won plenty of golf tournaments, but none with implications like this one. The 23-year-old from Japan started Sunday’s Toto Japan Classic final round three shots behind leader and fellow countrywoman Aki Iwai.
Sakuma made a huge charge on the back nine to win her first LPGA event, and it was extra special to win in her home country. She won by four shots over Iwai. Sakuma was on fire with six birdies on the back nine, including five straight from holes 11 through 15 at Taiheiyo Club Minori Course in Omitama. That put the exclamation mark on a bogey-free eight-under 64 to win her first LPGA title.
“This is the first win on the U.S. tour, and that is the biggest win in my career, definitely,” Sakuma said through a translator. “I’m happy to get the first win here in Japan.”
The best part for Sakuma is she earned her LPGA card and has decided to defer membership to next season. She appears more than ready to play on tour as she’s won eight times on the Japan LPGA, and all those wins all came in a 20-month span. Her Instagram account shows an awesome collection of posed shots with trophies.
https://twitter.com/LPGA/status/2119350461451145706
“Actually, this season I won at the beginning of the season but it took a while to get a second win,” Sakuma said. “That second win was the biggest win for me this year and in fact, that win actually got me confidence and that led me to win this tournament of the U.S. LPGA Tour.”
Sakuma, who won at the Hisako Higuchi Mitsubishi Electric Ladies Golf Tournament a week ago on the JLPGA, shot 70-65-69-64 to win at 20-under 268. Sakuma won $315,000 from the $2.1 million purse.
During the final round, Sakuma was effective off the tee and with her irons. She also hit all 18 greens in regulation. She made plenty of electrifying birdie putts, including a 30-footer on the 15th hole that put her up by four shots. Sakuma outdueled many other Japanese stars, including Erika Hara who finished third, five shots back.
https://twitter.com/LPGA/status/2119316490189213941
Sakuma will be the latest Japanese golfer to join the tour that fans in the U.S. will want to know more about. She likes watching baseball and wants to attend Major League Baseball games and admires Korean golfer Hyo Joo Kim, who she’s been paired with before.
The rise of Japanese golfers continues. Sakuma is the fifth player from Japan to win on tour this season, joining Miyu Yamashita, Shiho Kuwaki, Yuna Nishimura and Yuri Yoshida. Japanese golfers won seven tournaments one year ago.
The LPGA’s fall Asia swing, the second of two on tour, is now done. The LPGA will return to Florida, where it plays back-to-back events in The Annika and season-ending CME Globe Tour Championship.
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
