Two-time winner in 2016 Haru Nomura leads the team from Japan at this year’s playing of the UL International Crown. Nomura is the No.22 ranked player in the world, joined by No.43 Mika Miyazato, No.45 Ayaka Watanabe and No.58 Ai Suzuki. Nomura, Watanabe and Suzuki are all first time participants in the event, with Miyazato as the only player returning from 2014, who earned five points for her team by going 2-1-1 for the week. The 2009 rookie has just one top-10 so far in 2016, finishing T-6 at the ShopRite LPGA Classic. Watanabe began playing at the age of 10 and turned professional in 2012. Suzuki made history on the JLPGA in 2014, becoming the youngest winner of the LPGA Championship at 20-years-old, bettering the record previously set by Ai Miyazato.
Team Japan holds the No.3 seed in the eight-team competition and will look to play even better than 2014 when they finished in a tie for third with the team from Republic of Korea.
Click here for the complete 2016 UL International Crown standings.