Honda LPGA Thailand Tournament: Ai Miyazato eyes world No.1 spot
Japan’s Ai Miyazato is all set to reclaim the world-number-one spot, which she held for three consecutive periods in 2010.
The 25-year-old pro addressed a press conference on Thursday at the clubhouse of Siam Country Club, where she said, “I want to get back to world number one. It is important to try and achieve your targets.”
World-number-seven Miyazato will defend her title at the Honda LPGA Thailand Tournament on 17th February, 2011. The Japanese will tee off in the first group alongside Suzann Pettersen on Thursday. This is not the first time that the two women have been paired
together. In 2010, Miyazato and Pettersen teed off together and stood vaulted to their bids until the last hole. However, Miyazato birdied the closing hole and surged up to carve her name on the trophy.
However, this season is going to be more competitive, as the players are on a difference of a few points. Pettersen is number three on the ranking, but a victory can help Miyazato perk up.
Miyazato won two back-to-back titles last year. She added three more titles to her bag, but could not win the money rankings by the end of the season. She finished sixth, but she has different plans this year.
The golfer has changed her swings and has been working on her short game, which had suffered by the end of the last season. The 25-year-old regretted her failure to end last year’s season on a positive note and said, “It was difficult to control myself.
I put myself under too much pressure. I have developed a coping plan having taken into account what happened in the latter part of last season.”
Miyazato will not be alone in the field representing Japan. She will be joined by the Mika Miyazato and Momoko Ueda. The trio will hit the $1.45 million- tournament that will kick off at the 6,469-yard Siam Country Club, Patty Old Course.
According to analysts, Miyazato has a fair chance on the title, provided she curbs nerves by the end of the weekend.
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