What to expect from Ai Miyazato at the Evian Masters?
Ai Miyazato is set to return to the Evian Masters 2012, an event that has been very kind to her.
Ai Miyazato is no stranger to the tournament. She has already won the tournament twice, in 2009 and 2011. Given this, she appears to be all set to make it to the final round this time.
Can the experts predict her performance in the 2012 edition of the tournament? The answer is yes and no at the same time. This ambiguity is caused by the fact that she has not played much golf in the last two years.
That Miyazato is going to be in the top-ten of the event is no great secret. She is a great golfer with excellent scores and ratings in all the events that she has participated in.
A case in point is the 2009 edition of the Evian Masters. She managed a victory through a playoff that required both skills and a thorough understanding of the course layout.
Her most prolific year was 2010. She won five LPGA events, closing the year with a resounding victory at Safeway Classic. This was followed by the eventful 2011 that got her the last Evian Masters trophy.
Given her talent and aptitude for golf, it is fairly easy to predict Miyazato’s chances at 2012 event.
She is on a winning streak and her latest win in LPGA Lotte Championship with a large margin of four strokes is an indicator of things to come.
What many golf commentators worry about is Miyazato’s lack of exposure to many players who will be competing at the 2012 Evian Masters tournament.
There will be the usual big names like Suzann Pettersen and Yani Tseng but the entry list will also contain some upcoming players who could worry Miyazato.
This year has seen many young players and amateurs compete for a place on the final leaderboard. While they will not be a threat to the players of Miyazato’s stature, these players could, nonetheless, offer a tough game to many mid level players.
Ai Miyazato is considered to be one of the finest players to have emerged from Japan lately. Given her competitive spirit, she is well known as a formidable opponent.
The last round of any tournament is where she really shines. The back nine is particularly her place of action.
Usually, Miyazato wins by a thin lead. A victory by a couple of strokes or even a single stroke is very common in any tournament. Miyazato really shines during playoffs.
The playoff in Evian Masters 2009 was an example of Miyazato’s skills. She had to face Sophie Gustafson from Sweden. Miyazato won with a birdie on the first hole.
Another thing we could expect from Miyazato is a charity pledge. This would be a repeat of her 2011 win. Deeply affected by the plight of fellow Japanese citizens, she committed her earnings to a foundation that she co-founded.
Commenting after the win, Miyazato said, “always have Japan in my thoughts, it gives me motivation to play.”
Miyazato already has eight LPGA victories. The 27-year-old star has had a great 2012 year so far, with one win already to her credit.
This fact would be a great motivation for her as she would prepare to tee off at the Evian Masters tournament. Many fans expect great golf action from her and she will not disappoint them.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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