The JM Eagle LA Championship, a prelude to the majors of the LPGA Women's Golf Tour, will begin on April 18 (Japan time) at El Caballero CC in California, and will be broadcast live on WOWOW every day. Twelve Japanese players, including Ayaka Furue, Miyu Yamashita, Reo Takeda, Akie Iwai and her sister Chirei, Hinako Shibuno, and Minami Katsu, are scheduled to participate in the tournament, and they spoke of their enthusiasm ahead of the start of the tournament.
◇ Hinako Shibuno
--What are your impressions after touring the LA course this week?
I found it difficult to aim my tee shot, and I thought there was a high chance that it would land in the bunker. The green has a lot of undulations and a steep slope, so I think you have to aim very precisely.
--What are the conditions of the course like?
The green seemed to have a few more gaps than it looked, and the uphills were really strong and the downhills were fast, so I didn't feel like I was hitting it right in practice, so I hope I can get the touch right.
--What do you think will be the key points this week to moving up the rankings?
Depending on the location of the second shot, there are some places that you can't aim for, so you want to aim for the wider area, and you also want to make sure the green is on the same level, so you don't want to miss the shot that goes too far back.
-Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.
I will fight hard over the next four days and do my best to come in at the top.
◇Minami Katsu
-It's been two weeks since the last Ford Championship. How have you been?
I went to various power spots, and since I love wine, I took a ride on the wine train and drank some wine, went to Napa Valley, famous for its wine, and did some sightseeing.I stayed in Santa Monica, so I did some walking around and also watched a baseball game.
--Since you've been doing well in the early part of the year, did you feel like you were able to focus on refreshing yourself during the open week?
I think I was able to concentrate and work hard, so I felt that was a reward to myself, and I also thought it was great that I got to go to a place that my mother wanted to go to.
--Compared to last year and the year before, is there anything you've changed or something you've improved on this year?
My shots are overwhelmingly better. It's completely different. I used to be so conscious of my shots, but now I can focus on something else, so I think that's where I've improved a lot.
--What are the features of this week's course?
I got the impression that there were quite a few ups and downs, and the green had some pretty impressive undulations, so it really felt like the back was no good and that the placement had to be in a specific place.
--What do you think are the key points to getting a good score?
There is no boundary between the fairway and the rough, so I have to make sure I don't go in a direction I shouldn't go. The green is also soft, so I think there's still a chance for a birdie. Also, if I put the ball in a place I shouldn't on the green, I might get a bogey even if I get on the green, or I might get a double bogey after four putts, so I want to be careful about course management there.
◇Yoshida Yuri
-It's been two weeks since the last Ford Championship. How have you been?
I had quite a lot of rest. I wasn't feeling well so I took a rest and practiced a little bit, that's how I adjusted it.
--There's a new course this week. What are your impressions?
There are a lot of ups and downs and the green has a lot of undulations, so I think we have to decide on a case-by-case basis whether to use the mound or not.
--How about the condition of the course?
I played this morning and the greens were drying up, for better or worse, and it felt like they were going to get really fast. I don't know what will happen from tomorrow onwards, but I hope to be able to adapt day by day.
-How do you feel about your shots and putting?
It feels like my swing has been different since about two weeks ago, but my control of the ball has improved a lot, and I think my putting will be good as well if I can just get the touch right.
--This week is your birthday week (April 17th). What kind of year do you want it to be?
It feels like I'm already 25, but I feel like my golf life has become more fulfilling every year and it's so much fun, so I'm hoping this year will be a good one too.
◇ Yuuna Nishimura
--It's been a week since the Mobile Match Play. How have you been spending it?
There is a Callaway store in Carlsbad, so I had the adjustments done there.
--Have you made any changes to your club setup?
Basically, nothing has changed. However, I've added more wedges, so I think it would be good to be able to change them depending on the course.
--This is your first time taking this course. What are your impressions?
There are quite a lot of ups and downs, and the green has some pretty difficult undulations on the slope, so I thought the second shot would be the most important thing during my practice round.
--Is there any particular hall that you consider to be important?
I didn't really have any particular feeling, but there were par 5s that I could aim for, so I played aggressively there. Also, there were many scenes where I had to hold a long club at the beginning on both the outside and inside courses, so I think it's important to be patient and endure those times.
--This week's tournament is considered a prelude to the majors, what kind of challenge do you want to take on?
I like a lot of holes on this course, and although it's difficult to play, it's a fun course to play on, so I want to enjoy it and make the most of the adjustments I've made last week. First of all, I want to do my best to be able to play well all four days.
◇ Saki Baba
-Is there anything you've prepared for this week?
At the last Ford Championship, my shots weren't so good in some areas, so the first thing I did was to review my swing. Also, this course is quite suitable for draws, or rather, there are many holes where it is easier to aim for a draw, so since I tend to hit fades, I practiced hitting the ball with a catch.
--It's only been two months since your rookie season, how do you feel looking back on yourself so far?
There were times when I went to the venue not knowing if I would be able to play in the match, so I felt the frustration of not being able to play, but I also felt the joy of being able to play. I want to work hard to get good results and experience the joy of getting results, because I'm able to play in the LPGA Tour, which was my goal.
--As a result, you have secured a place in a major. Your first major is coming up next week, but what do you think the Chevron Championship will be like?
I participated in the Chevron Championship two years ago, and experienced the difficult settings of a major course, so I was able to understand very well what I was lacking two years ago. The course is the same this time, so I hope I can make use of the experience I gained two years ago and pass the qualifying round this year.
--This week will be the prelude to the majors, so how do you want to play?
There are a lot of holes this week where shots are important, and my shots aren't that good right now, so I'm really curious about how I can play there. From tomorrow onwards, I'll be doing practice rounds and other things, and I'll be thinking carefully about the characteristics of the course that I feel, and trying to do my best to get a good score.
*The JM Eagle LA Championship will be broadcast live every day on WOWOW. From the first day (April 18th) to the final day (April 21st), the tournament will be broadcast live on WOWOW Live and WOWOW On Demand from 7am each day. WOWOW On Demand will also be live streaming a "camera dedicated to Japanese players" that will focus on the performance of Japanese players.
