The Toto Japan Classic is an annual women's professional golf tournament in Japan, jointly sanctioned by the two richest women's professional tours: the U.S.-based LPGA Tour and the LPGA of Japan Tour. It was an unofficial money event on the LPGA Tour from 1973 to 1975. It has taken place every year since 1973 at various locations, and is typically held in early November. From 2006 through 2015, the event has been played at Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club in Shima, Mie. In 2016 and 2017, the events have been held at Minori Course of Taiheiyo Club in Omitama, Ibaraki, then changed back to the North Course of Seta Golf Course in Ōtsu, Shiga prefecture for 2018 events.
 | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Omitama, Ibaraki, Japan (2023) |
| Established | 1973 |
| Course(s) | Taiheiyo Club Minori Course (2023) |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 6,608 yards (6,042 m) |
| Organized by | MBS Sports Nippon |
| Tour(s) | LPGA Tour LPGA of Japan Tour |
| Format | Stroke play – 72 holes |
| Prize fund | $2.0 million |
| Month played | November |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 192 Annika Sörenstam (2003, 3 rnds) 266 Mone Inami (2023) |
| To par | −24 Annika Sörenstam (2003, 3 rnds) −22 Mone Inami (2023) |
| Current champion | |
 Rio Takeda | |
The tournament has had various names and sponsors throughout its history. Its current title sponsor is Toto Ltd. a Japanese bathroom products supplier.
Annika Sörenstam won the tournament five consecutive times from 2001 to 2005.
In 2007, Momoko Ueda of Japan scored a final round double eagle to win by two strokes over runners-up Maria Hjorth and Reilley Rankin.[1]
Tournament names
editWinners
edit| Year | Date | Champion | Country | Score | Venue | Purse ($) |
Winner's share($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Nov 3 | Rio Takeda | Japan |
2013 (−15)PO | Seta Golf Course, North Course | 2,000,000 | 300,000 |
| 2023 | Nov 5 | Mone Inami | Japan |
266 (–22) | Taiheiyo Club Minori Course | 2,000,000 | 300,000 |
| 2022 | Nov 6 | Gemma Dryburgh |  Scotland |
268 (−20) | Seta Golf Course, North Course | 2,000,000 | 300,000 |
| 20212 | Nov 7 | Ayaka Furue | Japan |
272 (−16) | Seta Golf Course, North Course | ¥220,000,000 | ¥33,000,000 |
| 20202 | Nov 8 | Jiyai Shin (2) |  South Korea |
197 (−19) | Taiheiyo Club, Minori Course | ¥160,000,000 | ¥24,000,000 |
| 2019 | Nov 10 | Ai Suzuki | Japan |
199 (−17) | Seta Golf Course, North Course | 1,500,000 | 225,000 |
| 2018 | Nov 4 | Nasa Hataoka | Japan |
202 (−14) | Seta Golf Course, North Course | 1,500,000 | 225,000 |
| 2017 | Nov 5 | Shanshan Feng (2) |  China |
197 (−19) | Taiheiyo Club, Minori Course | 1,500,000 | 225,000 |
| 2016 | Nov 6 | Shanshan Feng | China |
203 (−13) | Taiheiyo Club, Minori Course | 1,500,000 | 225,000 |
| 2015 | Nov 8 | Ahn Sun-ju | South Korea |
200 (−16)PO | Kashikojima Country Club in Shima | 1,500,000 | 225,000 |
| 2014 | Nov 9 | Lee Mi-hyang | South Korea |
205 (−11)PO | Kashikojima Country Club in Shima | 1,200,000 | 180,000 |
| 2013 | Nov 10 | Teresa Lu |  Taiwan |
202 (−14) | Kashikojima Country Club in Shima | 1,200,000 | 180,000 |
| 2012 | Nov 4 | Stacy Lewis |  United States |
205 (−11) | Kashikojima Country Club in Shima | 1,200,000 | 180,000 |
| 2011 | Nov 6 | Momoko Ueda (2) | Japan |
200 (−16)PO | Kashikojima Country Club in Shima | 1,200,000 | 180,000 |
| 2010 | Nov 7 | Jiyai Shin (2) | South Korea |
198 (−18) | Kashikojima Country Club in Shima | 1,200,000 | 180,000 |
| 2009 | Nov 8 | Song Bo-bae | South Korea |
201 (−15) | Kashikojima Country Club in Shima | 1,400,000 | 210,000 |
| 2008 | Nov 9 | Jiyai Shin | South Korea |
201 (−15) | Kashikojima Country Club in Shima | 1,400,000 | 210,000 |
| 2007 | Nov 4 | Momoko Ueda | Japan |
203 (−13) | Kashikojima Country Club in Shima | 1,400,000 | 210,000 |
| 2006 | Nov 5 | Karrie Webb |  Australia |
202 (−14) | Kashikojima Country Club in Shima | 1,200,000 | 180,000 |
| 2005 | Nov 6 | Annika Sörenstam (5) |  Sweden |
195 (−21) | Seta Golf Course | 1,000,000 | 150,000 |
| 2004 | Nov 7 | Annika Sörenstam (4) | Sweden |
194 (−22) | Seta Golf Course | 1,000,000 | 150,000 |
| 2003 | Oct 9 | Annika Sörenstam (3) | Sweden |
192 (−24) | Seta Golf Course | 1,130,000 | 169,500 |
| 2002 | Nov 10 | Annika Sörenstam (2) | Sweden |
201 (−15) | Seta Golf Course | 1,130,000 | 169,500 |
| 2001 | Nov 4 | Annika Sörenstam | Sweden |
203 (−13) | Musashigaoka Golf Course | 1,080,000 | 162,000 |
| 2000 | Nov 5 | Lorie Kane |  Canada |
204 (−12)PO | Seta Golf Course | 850,000 | 127,500 |
| 1999 | Nov 7 | Maria Hjorth | Sweden |
201 (−15) | Seta Golf Course | 800,000 | 120,000 |
| 1998 | Nov 8 | Hiromi Kobayashi | Japan |
205 (−11)PO | Musashigaoka Golf Course | 800,000 | 120,000 |
| 1997 | Nov 9 | Liselotte Neumann (2) | Sweden |
205 (−11) | Seta Golf Course | 750,000 | 112,500 |
| 1996 | Nov 3 | Mayumi Hirase | Japan |
212 (−4)PO | Tone Golf Club | 750,000 | 112,500 |
| 1995 | Nov 5 | Ko Woo-soon (2) | South Korea |
207 (−9) | Seta Golf Course | 700,000 | 105,000 |
| 1994 | Nov 6 | Ko Woo-soon | South Korea |
206 (−7) | Oak Hills Country Club | 700,000 | 105,000 |
| 1993 | Nov 7 | Betsy King (2) | United States |
205 (−11) | Lions Country Club | 650,000 | 97,500 |
| 1992 | Nov 8 | Betsy King | United States |
205 (−11) | Musashigaoka Golf Course | 650,000 | 97,500 |
| 1991 | Nov 10 | Liselotte Neumann | Sweden |
211 (−5) | Seta Golf Course | 550,000 | 82,500 |
| 1990 | Nov 4 | Debbie Massey (2) | United States |
1331 (−11) | Musashigaoka Golf Course | 550,000 | 82,500 |
| 1989 | Nov 5 | Elaine Crosby | United States |
205 (−11) | Seta Golf Course | 500,000 | 75,000 |
| 1988 | Nov 6 | Patty Sheehan (2) | United States |
206 (−10)PO | Musashigaoka Golf Course | 450,000 | 67,500 |
| 1987 | Nov 8 | Yuko Moriguchi | Japan |
206 (−10) | Musashigaoka Golf Course | 350,000 | 52,500 |
| 1986 | Nov 9 | Tu Ai-yu | Taiwan |
213 (−3)PO | Lions Country Club | 300,000 | 45,000 |
| 1985 | Nov 10 | Jane Blalock | United States |
206 (−10) | Musashigaoka Golf Course | 300,000 | 45,000 |
| 1984 | Nov 4 | Nayoko Yoshikawa | Japan |
210 (−6)PO | Hiroshima Country Club | 300,000 | 41,250 |
| 1983 | Nov 13 | Pat Bradley | United States |
206 (−10) | Musashigaoka Golf Course | 250,000 | 37,500 |
| 1982 | Nov 6 | Nancy Lopez | United States |
207 (−9) | Melshin-Yokaichi Country Club | 250,000 | 30,000 |
| 1981 | Nov 8 | Patty Sheehan | United States |
213 (−9) | Sagamihara Golf Club | 250,000 | 30,000 |
| 1980 | Nov 9 | Tatsuko Ohsako | Japan |
213 (−9)PO | Hanayashiki Golf Club | 225,000 | 26,250 |
| 1979 | Nov 3 | Amy Alcott | United States |
211 (−11) | Hanayashiki Golf Club | 125,000 | 18,750 |
| 1978 | Nov 3 | Michiko Okada | Japan |
216 (−6)PO | Hanayashiki Golf Club | 125,000 | 18,750 |
| 1977 | Nov 3 | Debbie Massey | United States |
220 (−2) | Hanayashiki Golf Club | 100,000 | 15,000 |
| 1976 | Nov 3 | Donna Caponi | United States |
217 (−5) | Hanayashiki Golf Club | 100,000 | 15,000 |
| 1975 | Oct 19 | Shelley Hamlin | United States |
218 (−1) | Ibaraki Kokusai Golf Club | 100,000 | 15,000 |
| 1974 | Nov 3 | Chako Higuchi | Japan |
218 (−4) | Horyuju Country Club | 100,000 | 15,000 |
| 1973 | Dec1 | Jan Ferraris | United States |
216 (E) | Shin Sode-Gahara Country Club | 50,000 | 7,500 |
PO Won sudden-death playoff
1 The 1990 tournament was shortened to 36 holes due to rain.
2 The 2020 and 2021 tournaments were solely sanctioned by the LPGA of Japan Tour, and not on the United States-based LPGA Tour because of pandemic-related travel restrictions.[2][3]
3 The 2024 tournament was shortened to 54 holes due to impact of Typhoon Kong-rey in Japan cancelling the third round.
References
edit- ^ "Ueda captures the Mizuno Classic". UPI. November 4, 2007.
- ^ "LPGA Announces New Drive On Championship Amid Asia Cancellations". LPGA. September 15, 2020.
- ^ "2021 Toto Japan Classic Removed From LPGA Schedule". LPGA. October 4, 2021.
External links
edit- Official website (in Japanese)
- Coverage on LPGA's official site
- Coverage on JLPGA's official site (in Japanese)