More than 6,000 miles separate Pinnacle Country Club and Japan. But this picturesque area in Arkansas’ Ozark Mountains has a special connection to two Japanese golf stars, one newly retired and one newly rising.
In 2012, Ai Miyazato captured the final win of her LPGA career at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship. Saying she loved the area so much, Miyazato made sure to include a final lap of Pinnacle C.C. in her 2017 retirement tour.
Fast forward six years, and Nasa Hataoka, perhaps the next big golf star to emerge from Japan, followed in her idol’s footsteps by capturing her first career win at the site of Miyazato’s final victory. Hataoka knows that her path was paved by Miyazato, and in that spirit, she also hopes her win will inspire as well.
“Ai is always a role model for me and this tournament I won, that's a huge honor,” said Hataoka. “Not many Japanese people play on the LPGA right now, so I think this win will kind of bring a lot of Japanese people here. I'm going to try to motivate to them to come here and then try to kind of take over from Ai because Ai's already retired.”
Notable Quotes
Nasa Hataoka (-21, 192), on reaching her two-year career goal:
“When I turned pro, my goal was that within two years I wanted to win an LPGA event, so I can reached the goal. I’m so happy about that.”
Austin Ernst (-15, 198), on her 2018 season assessment:
“Early in the year it wasn’t far off from being a few more top 10s, it was really just kind of a couple sloppy rounds here and there where I didn’t get a lot out of them. And then this week I didn’t get everything out of my game. But it’s nice, I got a lot out overall and it’s nice to be back in the mix.”
Lexi Thompson (-13, 200), on Hataoka’s round:
“Oh, she played amazing. I think that was probably the first or maybe second time I’ve played with her. She’s just got a great game, no weaknesses, pretty long off the tee and just rolls it amazing on the greens. So it was great to watch. It was definitely a well deserved win.”
Mariah Stackhouse (-12, 201), on her thoughts heading into next week’s major:
“It’s going to be a lot of fun, I think it’s cool. Last year I was first alternate, I didn’t get in, so it’s nice to be in a completely different position this time around. Better priority number, my game’s a lot better at this point this year than it was at this point last year.”
Quick Hits on Hataoka
Nasa Hataoka set the tournament scoring record at 21-under 192; the previous mark was 18-under 195, set by So Yeon Ryu in 2017
Hataoka’s six-stroke margin of victory is the largest of the season; the previous largest winning margin was five strokes, done by Inbee Park at the Bank of Hope Founders Cup
Hataoka is the fifth Rolex First-Time Winner of the 2018 LPGA Tour season, joining Jin Young Ko (ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open), Pernilla Lindberg (ANA Inspiration), Moriya Jutanugarn (HUGEL-JTBC LA Open) and Annie Park (ShopRite LPGA Classic)
Hataoka is the season’s 16th winner and the first from Japan; the last Japanese winner was Haru Nomura, who won the 2017 Volunteers of America Texas Shootout presented by JTBC
At 19 years, 5 months and 10 days of age, Hataoka is the youngest player to win this season and the 12th player to win on the LPGA Tour at age 19
This was Hataoka’s second appearance in the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship; she missed the cut in her debut in 2017
Benyapa Niphatsophon was disqualified for not signing her scorecard
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