The Mizuho Americas Open, an LPGA women's golf tour event, kicked off on May Getsuku(Japan time) at Liberty National GC in New Jersey, USA, and will be broadcast live on WOWOW every day. This tournament, the first tournament after the first reshuffle (changing of participation priority) following the results of last week's Black Desert Championship, will feature 11 Japanese players, including Ayaka Furue, Yuka Sasao, Hinako Shibuno, and Erika Hara, who is currently competing in the US women's lower tour. WOWOW asked each player about their enthusiasm.
◇Ayaka Furue
--The hostess competition is this week. How do you feel about it?
I'm happy to be back in such a wonderful place again.
--Since it's a tournament held in Mizuho (for which you serve as a brand ambassador), do you feel any differently than usual?
I think I have a stronger desire to try harder.
--Now that you've come to this course, what do you think of the course conditions and settings?
I think the conditions are really good, and I think the situation might change if it rains, but I hope that we can time it well and that it doesn't rain too much, and that the conditions will allow us to play rounds for a long time.
--Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.
This week, I want to be confident and be able to make shots and putts with confidence. I'll do my best to compete for all four days and aim for the top spots again.
◇Yamashita Miyu
--The Mizuho Americas Open is a tournament where players who make it to the final round play off against junior players. What do you think about this tournament format?
I was looking forward to it as it was my first time competing in a tournament with a different atmosphere, and I'm also very happy to have been able to take part in this tournament, so I would like to do my best to achieve good results.
--For example, when you were a junior player, was there a professional player that you would have liked to play with?
I used to watch the PGA Tour quite often, so I thought it would be nice to play with players like Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.
What is your impression of this course?
There are quite a few places where the green is small, and although the green is small, it has a steep slope. There are holes where you want to attack but can't, and I think tee shots are also important, so it felt like a really difficult course.
--Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.
First of all, what I want to do is to make sure I can put in the effort to perform well in the match, so I'll do my best to make that happen.
◇Reo Takeda
--Being a tournament in New York (Mizuho America's Open), was there anything you were looking forward to?
The scenery is very New York-like, so I'm looking forward to being able to play while looking at it.
Q: You played great (finished 5th) at last week's tournament (Black Desert Championship). What aspects of that performance do you think you can use again at the Mizuho Americas Open?
My golf game isn't going too badly, so I'd like to take this week as a new start and do my best again.
--Is there anything in particular that you've been practicing and preparing for in this area?
This week the distance is longer than last week and I'll be using the driver quite a bit, so I think that's an important aspect.
--Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.
I will do my best to play my best from the very first day this week.
◇Akinori Iwai
--Is there any area in particular that you are focusing on practicing this week?
This week, the wind is getting stronger as the afternoon approaches, so I think the tee shot is important. (Even during the practice round) I had the impression that I was hitting shots that were a little more left than usual, aiming to get into the wind and hit the green, so today I practiced on the practice field while imagining that.
--This tournament is held over the weekend with junior players, but what do you think about the regulations?
It's a rare opportunity for us, and I know it's not for me to say this, but I think it's a great opportunity for amateurs to play with famous pros, and I think they'll get a sense of how good the players are and what kind of player they want to be. I think it's a great opportunity for juniors.
--When you were a junior, was there any player that you would have liked to play against?
Hmm... there isn't anyone (laughs). But I liked players like Ryo Ishikawa, so I went for a round once and it was fun watching him.
--Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.
I hope I can stay true to myself and play my own game this week as well.
◇ Yuka Sasao
--This week you will be touring with junior players. You have also participated in the AJGA (Academy of Junior Golf Association) tournaments, but what do you think about this system?
This didn't exist when I was a junior, so if I were a junior, I think I would have worked hard in the matches for this.
What are you looking forward to this week?
I wonder... the Statue of Liberty. I went there a long time ago and took some photos.
--What do you think are the key points of the course in order to come in the top places?
I think the most important thing is to play good golf. It's not a particularly distinctive course, so if the wind is strong it will be difficult, but I think it's just a matter of reading the wind and playing good golf.
-So, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.
I hope I can enjoy playing golf.
◇ Chirei Iwai
--This week you'll be playing in a tournament with junior golfers over the weekend. Is there any professional golfer that you would have liked to play with when you were a junior?
Well, I wonder who it was, there weren't many. But if I were an amateur, I would participate because I think it would be a great opportunity, and I think it will inspire others and give them hope and dreams of becoming professional golfers, so I think it's a great project.
--This is probably your first time on this course, so what are your impressions now that you've gone around it?
The biggest thing is the weather. It was warm in the morning, but it suddenly got cold and started raining, so that was the thing that surprised me the most.
--Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week.
This week I want to stay strong and enjoy myself at my own pace.
*The Mizuho America's Open will be broadcast live on WOWOW Live and WOWOW On Demand from midnight on the first (Getsuku) and second (10th), from 5:30 am on the third (11th), and from 1 am on the final day (12th). WOWOW On Demand will also broadcast live a "camera dedicated to Japanese players" that focuses on the play of Japanese players.
