The new LPGA Women's Golf Tour tournament, the Black Desert Championship, kicks off on May 2 (Japan time) at the Black Desert Resort in Utah, USA, and will be broadcast live on WOWOW every day. This tournament will be the first reshuffle, which will change the participation priority from the following week, so this will be a significant week in predicting the mid-season.
All 13 Japanese tour members will be participating, including Mao Saigo, who won the first major tournament last week. WOWOW released interviews with the Japanese players just before the opening. We will deliver them in two parts.
◇ Hinako Shibuno
--Last week was your first major event of the year. Can you first look back on it?
It was great to be able to play for four days, but I was really disappointed to lose on the last day.
-What did you think about Saigo's victory last week?
I was really surprised, and I think it's amazing that he was able to win in a playoff with such great members, and I think he was a player who deserved to win, so I was really inspired and happy. It made me think that I have to work harder too.
--The atmosphere is completely different this week, but what are your impressions of this course?
The scenery is truly something I've never experienced before, the tee shots feel very difficult, and the ball flies farther, so I think it will be very difficult to adjust.
Q: How are you feeling about your shots this week?
Yesterday I was feeling a bit tired while playing the round, but I think I'm gradually starting to move better, so I'd like to improve from now on.
--Please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.
I will do my best to play well over the four days and compete for a place at the top of the table.
◇Minami Katsu
--Last week was your first major event of the year. Can you first look back on it?
In the end, I wasn't completely satisfied with the result, but I learned that there are good times and bad times, and I was reminded that when things are bad, you have to play golf as well as you can.So, even though my golf game isn't going particularly well this week, I would like to play my best.
--Looking into this week, please tell us if you've made any adjustments.
I have a habit of improving my condition or making quicker turns, so I am currently working on correcting that.
--This week's course is completely different from last week's. What are your impressions?
The view is amazing and it's a lot of fun to play golf while looking at the view on a sunny day like this, so I'm looking forward to changing my mood and playing a different type of golf than I did last week.
- The scenery is beautiful, there are lots of rocks and doglegs, but what do you think is the key point this week?
It's all about the tee shot. I think that especially on the out course, you need to play a patient golf style, and if you don't hit it pinpoint, it will look narrow because of the rocks, so I want to hit it firmly in a good spot. I've only played on the out course so far, and today I'm playing on the in course in the pro-am, but I heard from my caddie Johnny that the in course is a little different, so I'd like to check that out today.
-So, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.
I did manage to pass the qualifying round last week, but although I was in good form on the first day, I dropped off on the second day and my form went downhill, so I think my challenge is to get back into form, and this week I want to play good golf with the goal of getting into form.
◇Yoshida Yuri
--Last week was your first major event of the year. How do you feel looking back on it?
First of all, I'm glad that I was able to play for four days, and being able to play until the final day is a very fond memory.
--This week's course is completely different from last week's, what are your impressions?
It feels really surreal, and I haven't played many courses like this, so I'm really enjoying the scenery while playing.
--There are many doglegs on the outside course, but what do you think are the key points?
The rough is pretty tough, so I want to make sure I not only stay on the fairway, but also land the ball on the green.
-How do you feel about your shots so far this week?
It's not bad. Of course, my sense changes when I go to the course, but my practice itself isn't that bad, so I hope I can make a good score.
-Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.
I played well this week in the third match of a three-match series, so I'm not sure how well I can play, but I'll try my best to get as many birdies as possible.
◇ Saki Baba
-First of all, can you look back on last week's Major?
I wasn't in good form last week, so the major setting was difficult and I wasn't able to adapt, so I feel like I ended up with a disappointing result.
-Have you made any adjustments yourself this week?
My shots haven't been good for a while, so I've been working on improving them, not just this week, but I've been working on it for a while, so I'll continue to do that this week as well.
-What is your impression of this course?
There are a lot of rocks on the course, and many holes have rocks just outside the fairway, so it's not that the course itself is narrow, but the rocks make many holes look very narrow. There are many places where you can't hit a tee shot with a driver, so I hope that I can get a good tee shot on the fairway.
--How are you feeling this week?
The feeling is not bad, so I hope I can do it in the match.
--Please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.
This week I will do my best to pass the qualifying rounds.
*The Black Desert Championship will be broadcast live on WOWOW Live and WOWOW On Demand from 7am on all four days from the first day (May 2nd) to the final day (May 5th). WOWOW On Demand will broadcast live the performances of Japanese athletes using a camera dedicated to Japanese athletes.
