Click here for the complete field at the TOTO JAPAN CLASSIC.
Fab Five
The top-five players in the Rolex Rankings make the trip to Japan for this week’s TOTO JAPAN CLASSIC, the sixth and final event of the Tour’s swing through Asia. World No.1 Lydia Ko headlines the field along with No.2 Ariya Jutanugarn, No.3 In Gee Chun, No.4 Lexi Thompson and No.5 Sei Young Kim. With changes to her swing and to her caddie, Ko is in search of her fifth victory of the season as she remains in a tight race with Jutanugarn in the season long race for Player of the Year and Race to the CME Globe. Jutanugarn already owns five wins this year as she heads to Japan coming off at T-43 showing in Malaysia, her worst finish since June. Thompson is making her first start in two weeks, coming off a T-13 finish at the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship where she won last season. Kim is also in the field, coming off a T-37 showing in her title defense at the Blue Bay LPGA.
Back For More
Since the inception of the TOTO JAPAN CLASSIC in the early 1970’s there have been many worthy champions, seven of which are in the field this week. Defending champion Sun-Ju Ahn returns as well as 2014 champion Mi Hyang Lee, 2013 winner Teresa Lu, 2012 champion Stacy Lewis and 2006 winner Karrie Webb. Two-time winners Momoko Ueda, who won in 2007 and 2011 as well as Jiyai Shin, who won in 2008 and 2010, are in the field as well.
Chun Returns
World No.3 In Gee Chun returns to action this week on the LPGA Tour, making her first start since the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship where she finished T-13. The two-time major champion who won the Evian Championship in September, has been splitting her time over the past few weeks between the LPGA and KLPGA where she won multiple times in 2015. However, Chun withdrew from last week’s KLPGA KB Financial Group STAR Championship and is making her first start at the TOTO JAPAN CLASSIC this week.
Stanford's Close Call
A five-time winner on the LPGA Tour, Angela Stanford looked to end a winning drought of three years last year in Japan where she lost in a playoff with Ji-Hee Lee and eventual champion Sun-Ju Ahn. Stanford’s share of second at the 2015 TOTO JAPAN CLASSIC is her best finish over the past year, but with a rededication to her game has picked up three top-10s so far this season. Stanford did not play the last two events on Tour and is coming off a T-39 showing at the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship in Korea.
A Familiar Face
11-time LPGA Tour winner and two-time major champion Jiyai Shin makes a rare appearance on the LPGA Tour this week. A Tour member from 2009 to 2013, Shin now primarily spends her time playing on the JLPGA, where she has won three-times this season including last week’s event. She also won the Ladies European Tour’s RACV Ladies Masters in February where she won by three-strokes. Shin is a two-time winner of the TOTO JAPAN CLASSIC, having captured the title in both 2008 and 2010.
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