Inspirational 2019 win, local tour’s evolution behind rise of female Japanese golfers
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Japan's Chisato Iwai in action during the second round of the HSBC Women's World Championship at Sentosa Golf Club on Feb 27.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
- Japanese golfers, like Chizzy Iwai, are achieving unprecedented LPGA success, with seven titles in 2025.
- The JLPGA's evolution, with challenging courses and increased four-day events, has prepared Japanese players for global LPGA success.
- Peer success and tough JLPGA conditions motivate players, creating a positive environment and attracting more Japanese talent to the LPGA Tour.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – Chisato Iwai has big dreams and is not afraid to let them be known.
Just as Tiger Woods once drew huge galleries wherever he played, the Japanese golfer, also known as “Chizzy”, hopes to experience the same thing one day – crowds following her, energy building around the course and excited fans cheering: “Yes, Chizzy!”
“When Tiger was playing, it was a great atmosphere for every spectator and that’s what I want – crowds who are excited to see me play,” said the world No. 19 on the sidelines of the Feb 26-March 1 HSBC Women’s World Championship.
“I want to have my own version of that, something special.”
The 23-year-old has already offered a glimpse of her potential, winning in her rookie year on the LPGA Tour with victory at the Mexico Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba in October 2025.
Her ambition is also evident in the new wave of Japanese players, who showcased their talent throughout the 2025 LPGA season.
In 2025, there were six different Japanese winners – Rio Takeda, Mao Saigo, Chizzy and her twin Akie, Miyu Yamashita and Nasa Hataoka – the most in a single LPGA Tour season.
Their combined tally of seven titles was also the highest total by one nation in 2025, ahead of South Korea’s six.
Japanese players have claimed the LPGA Rookie of the Year award in the last two seasons as well, with Yamashita winning in 2025, after Saigo the year before.
Japan has enjoyed individual success on the LPGA in the past, with Ayako Okamoto winning 17 times during the 1980s and the 1990s, while nine-time LPGA winner Ai Miyazato was the first Japanese player to top the world rankings.
But the current depth of talent is unprecedented. Part of the recent surge can be traced to Hinako Shibuno’s breakthrough victory at the 2019 Women’s British Open.
At the time, she was only the second Japanese woman to win a Major, following Hisako Higuchi’s triumph at the 1977 Women’s PGA Championship.
Yuka Saso enjoyed Major success shortly after, with victories in the US Women’s Open in 2021 – when she still represented the Philippines – and again in 2024.
In 2024, Ayaka Furue won the Evian Championship, before Yamashita and Saigo clinched the Women’s British Open and Chevron Championship in 2025.
Yamashita said: “Seeing Hinako win (in 2019) made me want to win and do well in tournaments too. I felt proud as a Japanese player.”
Miyu Yamashita, who won the 2025 Women’s British Open, was inspired by compatriot Hinako Shibuno’s triumph at the 2019 edition of the event.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Another key factor behind this success has been the evolution of the LPGA of Japan (JLPGA).
Many of today’s stars built strong foundations there – Yamashita is a 13-time JLPGA winner, the Iwai twins have 14 wins between them, and Saigo has six.
Since 2013, the JLPGA has focused on strengthening the tour with the aim of producing winners on the world stage by establishing a competitive environment that has been set up to closely mirror the LPGA Tour.
One notable change has been the increase in four-day tournaments in the circuit, where 54-hole events used to be the norm.
In 2012, only five of 35 events were scheduled to be contested over four rounds, but that number has risen to 21 out of 37 for 2026.
Course set-ups have also been diversified, with dedicated officials tailoring layouts to each venue and creating a wide range of winning scores, from even par to more than 20-under par, encouraging players to develop broader strategies and playing styles.
Yamashita said: “The course set-up in Japan is really good. The fairways are narrow and the course setting is really difficult so it helps improve our accuracy.”
The JLPGA’s preparation has been so thorough that, for many players, the biggest challenge in transitioning to the LPGA is off the course: Speaking English.
That, however, has not deterred Iwai, who is not afraid to try to do interviews in English, with her manager stepping in to assist when needed.
Even playing in front of fans has felt like a natural step.
Iwai said: “Japanese players are getting to a higher level so everybody is challenging each other and getting more aggressive.
“The pin positions are so hard in Japan, that’s why everyone is playing more aggressively.
“The JLPGA tries to make the hole location harder, that’s what helps the Japanese players too.”
Yamashita added that the collective success of her peers has been a source of motivation.
She said: “Younger players than me doing well overseas is really motivating.
“Even though we compete on the same stage, I really like that we can have a good friendship and it’s really nice to see these Japanese players (on the LPGA) as well as those in Japan.”
Ayaka Furue is optimistic about the future of Japan’s golfers.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
With more of her compatriots enjoying success on the circuit, two-time LPGA winner Furue believes it has given them and golfers back home more confidence to venture out.
The 25-year-old said: “There’s a good, positive mood because a lot of Japanese players are coming up because the field in Japan is so competitive.
“There are positive vibes here.”
