15 Japanese players including Chirei Iwai will compete in the third major tournament, the KPMG Women's PGA Championship (Part 2)

The third major tournament of the LPGA Women's Golf Tour, the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, kicks off on June 19th (local time) at Fields Ranch East in Texas, and will be broadcast live every day on WOWOW. The tournament, which brings together the world's best female professional golfers, is a major tournament that was first won by a Japanese player, Hisako Higuchi, in 1977. Attention is focused on whether the Japanese players, who have been performing well this season, will be able to grab their first victory in 48 years.

The Japanese participants include Mao Saigo, who won the first major tournament of the season, the Chevron Championship; Reo Takeda, who won the Asian Series Blue Bay LPGA; Chirei Iwai, who won her first US tour title at the Mexico Riviera Maya Open; Miyu Yamashita, who came in second in the last tournament; and 13 other US tour members, including Yu Kawamoto and Shiho Kuwaki, who are competing from the domestic tour. WOWOW has released an interview with them just before the start of the tournament. We will deliver it in two parts.

◇ Chirei Iwai

--The third major of the season is finally about to begin. How do you feel?

I think I'm feeling as calm as ever now.

--You've had a string of tournaments coming up, but have you made any adjustments to yourself between the Meyer LPGA Classic and this week?

Nothing in particular. I'm feeling really good about my golf and I feel like I'm in good shape, so I think I'll just rest and prepare for tomorrow.

What are your impressions of this week's course?

The wind is going to be really strong and it's going to be quite difficult, so I think the conditions will be tough.

--What do you think is the key to getting to the top?

I think it's the fairway. There are a lot of tricky tee shots, and there's a bunker right where you carry, and if you get blown by the wind you'll go straight into the rough, so I think it would be good if I could read the wind and judge the tee shot with the club and go without making any mistakes.

--Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.

I'm going to enjoy this week at my own pace.

◇Akinori Iwai

--This is your third major tournament of the season. How do you feel?

As it is a major golf course, it is a tough setting, and I think this week's course will be the first time for everyone, so there are ups and downs, and the greens are quite small and you can't stop on them, so I'm really looking forward to being able to play on it.

--You finished with an eagle at last week's Meyer LPGA Classic, so you're in great form going into this week. How are you feeling personally?

I'm not feeling too bad. I was really happy that everyone was excited about Eagle last week.

--What do you think will be the most important point in moving up the rankings this week?

In particular, the rough on the fairway seems to get really buried, and when it's buried, you can't get the distance and it's really tough to get the ball on the green, so your tee shot is important, and since the green is small, your second shot is also important, and everything is important.

--Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.

I hope to feel happy to be able to play in this tournament again this week, and do my best, focusing on each and every shot, day by day.

◇ Yuka Sasao

--This is finally the third major of the season. First of all, I'd like to hear how you feel.

I'm really looking forward to it.

--The event is being hosted by KPMG, which is also a sponsor. How do you feel about that?

This is my fourth time as a KPMG ambassador, so I'm meeting the same people again, and this time I'm in Texas, which is a place I can call home in the United States, and I feel like it's definitely home, so I was able to come into this week feeling grateful.

What is your overall impression of the course?

It's a bit like links, the wind is strong, and the greens are sometimes small and sometimes large. I think it's going to be a golf course that changes dramatically depending on the conditions.

--There are three par 5s on the front nine, and some of the holes in the back half look like they will have difficult tee shots. Which do you think are the most important?

Since it's a major, it's obviously going to be more difficult, so I think it's about how well I can get the ball on the green. And then it's all about putting, so first of all I want to be able to keep the ball on the fairway and get it on the green. I think that's going to be the most important thing.

--This is your first match since the U.S. Women's Open. How are you feeling?

It's okay. I was in Dallas for a long time, so I think I had a good practice.

◇ Hinako Shibuno

--The U.S. Women's Open was just around the corner, so do you think you'll be able to put that experience to good use this week?

I would like to make use of this experience, but the course is completely different this week and it's very difficult, so I need to stay focused and do my best.

What's the course like this week?

First of all, it's so hot that it's very tiring. Not only the fairways but also the greens have a lot of undulations, so I think there's a lot to think about, and the rough is really long, so if you get stuck in the ball, you can't hit it at all, so I want to do my best to stay on the fairway as much as possible.

--In addition to the heat, I think the impression would change completely if the wind blew. What do you think?

Yesterday I played in the pro-am and there was wind, and it felt really difficult, so I'm hoping it won't blow during the tournament.

--How is your shot going?

Well, I'd like to think it's not that bad, but I'll see how it goes when I try it tomorrow.

--Please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.

I will do my best to fight hard over the four days and finish in the top positions.

◇Yoshida Yuri

What is your impression of this course?

It's surprisingly long and narrow, so unless you place your tee shot firmly on the fairway you won't be able to get it out of the rough, so I think driver shots will be the key this week.

--When the wind blows, it will have an impact, so how do you feel about that?

I get the impression that when the wind is blowing against me on the longer holes, there are a few holes where I'll have to use something like a wooden spoon on the No. 5, so I think if I can make it on the really short holes, and even though I'm not close enough to get the par 5 second shot onto the green like I was last week, I can still play golf a little more easily.

--There are three par 5 holes on the front nine and one on the back nine. As you played through the course, was there any hole that you felt was key?

There are some extremely short holes, but I personally think the long holes are the key. There are a few holes where you need to use clubs higher than a hybrid, so I think it's important not to lose your score there.

--Please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.

This will be my third game in a row, and I have been making adjustments and practicing less for the past two weeks to prepare for this match, so I will do my best to play the whole game this week.

*The KPMG Women's PGA Championship will be broadcast live every day on WOWOW. Day 1: The first half starts at midnight on June 20th, and the second half at 7am on the same day; Day 2: The first half starts at midnight on the 21st, and the second half at 7am on the same day; Day 3: The first half starts at midnight on the 22nd, and the second half at 4am on the same day; Final day: The first half starts at midnight on the 23rd, and the second half at 4am on the same day. All will be broadcast live and streamed live on WOWOW Live and WOWOW On Demand.

In addition, WOWOW On Demand will have a "Japanese-only camera" that focuses on the play of Japanese players. On the first day, the first half will be live-streamed from 9:45 pm on the 19th, and the second half will be live-streamed from 4:20 am on the 20th.