(Photo credit score: Dan Hamilton)
Shuri Sakuma shot a 64 to win the Toto Japan Classic, incomes her first LPGA Tour title in entrance of a home-country crowd on Sunday.
The 23-year-old had eight birdies in a bogey-free spherical at Taiheiyo Club Minori Course in Omitama to complete with a 20-under 268 for the event. Five of these birdies got here on consecutive holes on the again 9 — 11 via 15 — as she surged into the lead.
She opened the day trailing third-round chief Aki Iwai by three photographs. But as Sakuma conquered the again 9, Iwai could not preserve tempo.
After taking part in the entrance 9 at even par, Iwai’s double bogey on the par 3 No. 13 nearly negated her three birdies on the again 9, leading to a 71 on the day.
Iwai completed in second at 16-under, 4 photographs behind Sakuma. It was her solely spherical within the 70s of the week, ending the primary three at 66-69-66. For the event, Iwai made 23 birdies and had 5 bogeys and one double bogey.
Sakuma has eight profession wins on the LPGA of Japan Tour, 4 of them this season.
‘Actually I might win in the beginning of the season, but it surely took some time to get a second win,’ she mentioned. ‘Actually that second win was the largest win for me in my season this 12 months, and that win really gave my confidence and that led me to win this event on U.S. LPGA Tour.’
Rookie Erika Hara of Japan was third, her greatest end on the LPGA Tour, after her spherical of 70 left her 5 photographs behind Sakuma.
Arpichaya Yubol of Thailand (72 on Sunday) and Yuna Araki of Japan (70) have been six photographs again and tied for fourth.
Yubol, 24, was one shot behind Iwai getting into the fourth spherical, and he or she performed within the closing group on Sunday. She mentioned the course was an even bigger problem in than on earlier days.
‘I do my greatest already, but it surely’s golf,’ she mentioned. ‘Everything is occur. But I feel in the present day they put the pin like so exhausting, actually exhausting, like not straightforward like daily.’
The again 9 wasn’t almost as sort to her because it was to Sakuma.
‘Hole 9, 10, 11, 12, I made all bogey in a row. Kind of caught just a little bit,’ mentioned Yubol, who’s searching for her first tour win. ‘But I attempt to preserve pondering constructive, such as you nonetheless have many holes to come back again.’
Defending champion Nasa Hataoka fired a 71 to tie for sixth place at 13-under, seven photographs out. She held the 36-hole lead after a 64 on Friday.
With her victory, Sakuma gained $315,000 and have become eligible to hitch the LPGA Tour.
–Field Level Media