Safeway Classic Presented by Coca-Cola
August 19, 2012
Hometown/Current residence – Okinawa, Japan/Bradenton, Fla.
Birthdate – October 10, 1989 – currently 22 years, 10 months and 9 days
Qualified for LPGA Tour – Tied for 12th at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to earn exempt status for the 2009 LPGA season
Turned Professional – December 2008
Becomes the sixth Rolex First-Time Winner of 2012, joining Jessica Korda (ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open), Azahara Munoz (Sybase Match Play Championship), Shanshan Feng (Wegmans LPGA Championship), Brittany Lang (Manulife Financial LPGA Classic) and So Yeon Ryu (Jamie Farr Toledo Classic Presented by Kroger, Owens Corning and O-I)
Becomes the 11th player from Japan to win on the LPGA Tour
She is the third Japanese player to win the Safeway Classic, joining Ai Miyazato (2010) and Ayaka Okamoto (1986)
Captures her first career victory in her 79th start on the LPGA Tour
Earns 30 points toward the Rolex Player of the Year race, increasing total to 77 points
With the $225,000 first-place check, she increases her career earnings to $2,329,846 and increases season earnings to $844,482
Sixth top-10 finish in 14 events played in 2012. Also marks her fourth top-5 finish in her last seven events
Previous top-10 finishes in 2012 include a tie for third at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, a tie for second at the Wegmans LPGA Championship and the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Presented by P&G, a T7 at the U.S. Women’s Open and the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic Presented by Kroger, Owens Corning and O-I
Topics: In the winners circle, Safeway Classic, Miyazato, Mika
