The first major tournament of the season on the LPGA Women's Golf Tour, the Chevron Championship, kicks off on April 25th (Japan time) at The Club at Carlton Woods in Texas, USA, with all 13 Japanese tour players participating. Last year, Japanese players won two of the five major tournaments, with Yuka Sasao at the U.S. Women's Open and Ayaka Furue at the Evian Championship, so their performance this season will be the center of attention. WOWOW, which will be broadcasting live the four-day game, has released interviews with the 13 players just before the start of the tournament. We will deliver them in two parts.
◇Nasa Hataoka
--You finished last week's tournament with a great round, finishing in 6th place with a score of 63 (course record) on the final day. How is your current golf performance and physical condition?
I played some really good golf on the final day and came here with a good image in mind, so I think my form is starting to improve.
--You have participated in this tournament seven times and passed the qualifying rounds every time. Was there anything you did specially to prepare for this tournament?
My short game and hitting the ball within 100 yards were areas I had to work on, so I focused on practicing those areas.
--Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.
I think this week will be another long four days, but I would like to do my best and carefully plan my strategy for each day.
◇ Chirei Iwai
-This will be your first major as a tour member. How do you feel about the Chevron Championship?
I couldn't participate last year so I'm happy to be able to participate this year.
Q: Last week at the JM Eagle LA Championship, you placed 11th and played a round with your sister, Akemi. What was that experience like for you?
It was a really impressive and memorable round, and I was surprised because I never thought I would be playing in the same group as him. I had a fun day, and I think I enjoyed last week overall.
--Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.
I'll do my best to compete for the top spot this week as well!
◇ Hinako Shibuno
--You played well on the second day last week with a score of 67, but did you gain any satisfaction from that?
My shots have improved a lot, and I think I was able to hit the ball normally, so I had a lot of chances and that's why I got that score, but my putting is still a little short and I missed a few putts, so it was a disappointing round, but I think I was able to play in a really good mood."
--What are your impressions after completing the course?
It's a very long course, and on top of that, it's raining so the ball doesn't roll on the ground, so I think I have to work hard to hit the ball farther. I think the greens will be faster when they dry, but I think there are still less runs compared to last year, so I'd like to play golf that takes advantage of opportunities where possible and endures where I need to.
--Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.
We will fight hard over the four days and do our best to compete for the top spots.
◇Minami Katsu
--Last year you achieved a good result, tying for 9th place, but what do you feel is different about this year's course?
The greens and fairways were a bit soft, and it was raining. It was raining again today and we couldn't practice, so I think things will change a bit in that area.
--With this rain, the distance is likely to become much longer, what are your thoughts on the management?
The green is big, so I think it's difficult to judge the distance of the putt. Also, the green is a little bit downward, and there are holes where the ball goes down in a direction that you shouldn't go, so I want to be careful about where I place the ball. Also, I think I made some bad shots in the 18 holes I played over the four days, so I want to make sure I recover well in those areas.
--Speaking of Chevron, the winner has to dive into a pond, but what pose would you like to be in when you dive if you won?
I haven't decided yet, but Johnny (the caddie) said he might throw me out (laughs). So I think I might go for it (laughs).
-Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.
I've been playing really good golf since the first round, without qualifying, and I've been playing stable golf, so I've been thinking recently that I just need to get into a better rhythm. I think I'm really just one step away from that, so I'll do my best to get into that rhythm over the next four days.
◇Yoshida Yuri
--You've been doing well so far this season, with no qualifying appearances, but how do you think this is due to the results?
I think the biggest thing is that my shots are more stable than last year, and because of that, I'm putting pretty much the way I want to.
--After playing the course, were there any holes that stood out to you in particular?
Rather than a specific club, I think the overall length is quite long. Right now, it's wet after the rain, so there are many places where you have to use long irons and hybrids, so I think the short game and long pads will be very important.
--Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.
This is the first major of the year and my first time playing this year, so I'm really looking forward to it. I'm not sure how I'll play, but I want to play well with each shot.
◇ Yuuna Nishimura
-How are your shots and putting feeling since you arrived here?
I didn't do very well yesterday, but I felt really good with my shots today, so I hope I can keep it going tomorrow. My approaches and putting feel really good, so I hope I can put it all together well.
--Speaking of Chevron, it's the diving into the pond. If you win, what pose would you like to dive in?
I'll probably just be so excited that I'll run!
--Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm.
I think it will be a tough match for me, but I will do my best to play well over all four days. I haven't been feeling very good this year, but I hope I can get a good start in my first major.
◇ Saki Baba
-This will be your first major as a tour member, so can you tell us how you feel about the Chevron Championship?
I participated for the first time two years ago, and there I experienced the difficulty of the major settings. This year, I have to be more conscious of the results than I was two years ago, and I have to think about how to get the points, so I have to approach it with a completely different mindset than when I participated two years ago, and that really makes me feel like I've become a professional.
Q: This year was your tour debut and you tied for sixth place at the Ford Championship in March. How do you feel looking back on this season so far?
Since there are only a few tournaments I can play in, I need to perform well from the first tournament to get through the reshuffle, and I also want to play as many tournaments as possible in the second half of the season, so I was conscious of getting results from the beginning, and although I was quite nervous in the first tournament in China (Blue Bay LPGA), I was able to tie for 17th place. Then, at the Ford Championship, I was able to extend my lead on the final day and move up in the rankings, so those two tournaments were great experiences for me, and I was able to get points, so I think it was great.
--The Chevron Championship is famous for the winner jumping into a pond, but if you were to win, is there a pose you would like to do while jumping in?
I'm not very good with water, and I don't really like the ocean, but if I win, I don't really care about water. I think I'll be able to jump in with all my might, and although I can't really imagine it, I think a super bold pose like doing a full spin and jumping in would be great.
--Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.
This week I will do my best from the very first day so that I can make it through the qualifying rounds.
*The Chevron Championship will be broadcast and streamed live every day on WOWOW Live and WOWOW On Demand. On the first day (25th) and second day (26th), the first half will be broadcast and streamed from midnight, and the second half from 7am. On the third day (27th) and final day (28th), it will be broadcast and streamed from 3am. WOWOW On Demand will also be live streaming a "camera dedicated to Japanese players" that will focus on the performance of Japanese players.
