"Stronger and Deeper Than Ever"... Japanese Women's Golf Now at the Center of the Tour

25 Wins in 28 JLPGA Tournaments This Year

4 LPGA Tour Titles Spark Celebration

Japanese Players Reign Supreme, New Stars Emerge at Every Event

"It feels like watching Korea at its peak. There are so many Japanese players who are truly exceptional at golf."

This is the perspective of commentator Kim Ha-neul, who played in both Korea (8 wins) and Japan (6 wins) during her career. Kim said, "The players hit it far and straight. Their swing has improved as well," adding, "Now even Korean players will need to be on their toes."

Korean players have shown impressive performances on the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association (JLPGA) Tour. Shin Ji-ae, with a career total of 29 wins, became known as Korea's representative, and now stands just one victory away from recording 30 career wins and becoming the first Korean to earn a permanent tour card.

Shuri Sakuma is an emerging force who has won four times on the JLPGA Tour this year. Photo by AP Yonhap News

In addition to Shin Ji-ae, other players such as Lee Bo-mee (retired), An Sun-ju, Jeon Mi-jeong, Lee Ji-hee, Lee Min-young, Kim Ha-neul, and Hwang Bo-ream have delivered news of victories nearly every month. Jeon In-ji and Yoo So-yeon (retired), who are currently competing on the LPGA Tour, also picked up trophies in Japan. The JLPGA Tour was so heavily dominated by Korean players that it was often referred to as the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour. In 2016 alone, seven players combined for 17 wins.

However, things have changed now. Victories have become much harder to come by. Last year, Shin Ji-ae was the only Korean player to secure a win. This year is not much different. Lee Min-young won the Nichirei Ladies in June, and Park Hyun-kyung, a KLPGA Tour member who was invited to play, claimed the title at the Earth Mondahmin Cup in the same month. As of October 2, Korean players have only recorded two wins in a total of 28 tournaments. Including Chia Yen-Wu (Taiwan), winner of the Fujifilm Studio Alice Ladies Open, non-Japanese players have only managed three victories in total.

Japanese players, on the other hand, are dominating. Last year, they won 34 out of 37 tournaments. Shuri Sakuma led the way with four victories. So far in 2026, 28 tournaments have been held, and Japanese players have triumphed in 25. Both Sakuma and Shino Kuwaki each have three wins this year.

Japan boasts the ideal environment for golf, with particularly outstanding practice conditions. The country has developed systems that allow players to steadily hone their skills over long periods. Japanese players have also improved their physical abilities. By hiring coaches, they have developed consistent swing planes. Reflecting on the new strength of Japanese golf, Shin Ji-ae stated, "Japanese players have a strong sense of challenge. I want to applaud those who give up the comfortable environment in Japan to compete in the United States."

This upward momentum among Japanese players has continued on the U.S. stage as well. Last year, Japanese players combined for seven wins on the LPGA Tour—the most of any nation. Miyu Yamashita, ranked fifth in the world, picked up two wins and was named Rookie of the Year. JiJi Iwai, Akie Iwai, Rio Takeda, Mao Saigo, and Nasa Hataoka (all with one win each) also joined the list of champions.

Miyu Yamashita, ranked fifth in the world, secured two consecutive wins each year on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

The strength of Japanese players remains unshaken on the LPGA Tour this year. With seven tournaments still to be played, they have already collected four wins, including a major championship victory. Yamashita has claimed two wins for the second year in a row. New talents such as Shino Kuwaki and Yuna Nishimura are also emerging. Erika Hara, who debuted on the LPGA Tour this year, leads the Rookie of the Year points standings. Thanks to the continuous emergence of top-tier talent, Japan's dominance in women's golf is expected to continue for some time.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.