Japanese Ueda all set to defend title on home soil
Japanese Momoko Ueda is set to defend her title at the Mizuno Classic 2012, scheduled to be played from November 2-4, at Shima-s**+, Mie, Japan.
Ueda may not rank among the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) titans who send shivers down their rivals’ spine, but on a Japanese course where crowd will be rooting for local players,
the defending champion can record yet another surprise finish.
The course—Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club—has long been a favourite spot for local players, but players from other Asian countries and America have also proved their mettle here.
Last year, the event saw a nail-biting competition pitting top-ranked players from across the world, but Ueda and Chinese Shanshan Feng remained in contention till the final moments, with
the Japanese golfer winning in playoff.
Although stars like Feng and the current world number one Yani Tseng were the firm favourites for the coveted title, Ueda, who had already won the 2007 edition of the tournament, made the
most of favourable weather and course conditions, keeping the cup within Japan.
Recounting her remarkable victory while speaking to the LPGA on Wednesday, the defending champion said she is happy to be back here, and defending her title on her home soil is her biggest
goal for the 2012 season.
The 2011 event saw Ueda and Feng both fire a 200 each in the three rounds, which forced tom match to stretch into playoff.
“The last putt. The winning putt. Of course there was a lot of pressure, being a playoff,” Ueda spoke o f the final moments of the 2011 Mizuno Classic.
On the other hand, South Korean Na Yeon Choi also remained a star performer till the last round, as she shot an overall 201 to grab the third position.
Ueda said that she is thrilled by the strong field as well, because she is going to face her old friends once again.
“It definitely brings back a lot of memories, like the time I got to play with Annika and Karrie Webb. Playing with the world’s best players, and from that I got to build myself up and it
gave me great experiences. It’s a great tournament and I’m glad to be back here again,” the hot favourite said.
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