SB Nation User Blog: The Constructivist

Ji-Yai Shin: 1st $2M Woman of '09?

The Constructivist — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 08:57:48 -0000

With her playoff win over Akiko Fukushima and Yuko Mitsuka at the Masters GC Ladies today, Ji-Yai Shin moved into the top 20 on the JLPGA money list at over 33 million yen. Combined with her $1.61M in winnings on the LPGA, Shin may well have become the first $2M woman of 2009. Even if she's a few thousand dollars short of breaking the $2M barrier, Shin's got a huge lead on Ai Miyazato, who, after losing last week to Nikki Campbell's 50-foot birdie putt on the 4th playoff hole, decided not only to skip this week's JLPGA event but to forego next week's joint LPGA-KLPGA event so she could have a 2-week vacation in the United States. I don't understand why you'd want to give up home-country advantage in the LPGA's pennant race, much less spot the likes of Shin, Cristie Kerr, and Lorena Ochoa a tournament when Player of the Year, money list title, and Vare Trophy (for lowest scoring average) are on the line. In any case, having beaten the JLPGA's #2 in career winnings and a Japanese young gun who's headed to LPGA Q-School (going in the opposite direction, by the way, as many Asian LPGA stars), Shin has to be riding a wave of confidence. Not only does she have home-country advantage next week, she's the defending champion of the Mizuno Championship the following week in Japan. If you've been tuning women's golf out lately, it's time to tune back in!

From the LPGA to the JLPGA

The Constructivist — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:07:39 -0000

From the LPGA to the JLPGA

It took some digging and help from the Full Metal Archivist, but I've finally figured out JLPGA Q-School. The tour is pretty closed-mouth about releasing field lists in advance of their 4 stages of qualifying tournaments, but earlier this month they did reveal the names of some of the LPGA players who will be playing in the penultimate and final stages in a press release to the Japanese media. Click to find out who wants to join Ai Miyazato, Momoko Ueda, and Shiho Oyama with dual LPGA-JLPGA membership in 2010!

The LPGA's Global Stretch Run

The Constructivist — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:15:21 -0000

The LPGA's Global Stretch Run

Got a suggestion for the LPGA's David Higdon and whoever the new commissioner turns out to be up over at Mostly Harmless. It fits right in with whatever buzz is generated by the President's Cup.

Ranking the LPGA's Young Guns

The Constructivist — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:29:25 -0000

Ranking the LPGA's Young Guns

Hey Wagglers! With Hound Dog "stepping away" from the whole LPGA blogging thing (cue Ahnold voiceover: "he'll be bahhhck!"), I'll be subjecting you every so often to links to Mostly Harmless that may be of interest to some of y'all. This one is my attempt to assess the careers-to-date of the best players in the LPGA rookie classes of 2006-2008 who have joined the Million Dollar Club in career winnings (or are about to). A few really good players haven't played enough LPGA events to make the list--I'm talking mostly about Momoko Ueda and Amy Yang--but it covers the top 21 as of now in my book. Enjoy.

Chie Arimura Confirms Place in JLPGA Big 4

The Constructivist — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 11:37:31 -0000

Chie Arimura held off Momoko Ueda for her 4th win on the JLPGA in '09 this week. It's her 5th career win, but 3 of them have come during her last 8 events, during which she finished out of the top 4 only once (11th). She's the 3rd player to cross the 100-million yen barrier this season--and like Sakura Yokomine, who did it last week, she's now 1 win and around 30 million yen away from catching Shinobu Moromizato.

Talk about momentum heading into next week's Japan Women's Open: Arimura, Ueda, Yokomine, Miho Koga, and Ji-Hee Lee seem to be peaking for the JLPGA's 3rd major. Ai Miyazato may well be the hottest female golfer in the world right now. Mi-Jeong Jeon, who has a great chance to join the '09 100 Million Yen Club next week, has been playing just fine, thank you, and would love to make her 4th win of the season a major. And Yuko Mitsuka followed up a successful campaign in the California sectional qualifier for LPGA Q-School last week with strong play and a top 4 finish this week.

In fact, the only golfer among the top 9 JLPGA regulars and irregulars is the only one with a chance for a Grand Slam this season. But don't count Moromizato out just yet. And if Shiho Oyama's neck is healed, she may well be a contender next week as well. So, with all due apologies for looking ahead (and maybe past) Arimura's huge win, I have to say I may well be more excited for the JWO than the first LPGA event in October (and last until the LPGA shows up in Korea at the end of the month).

Sakura's Back!

The Constructivist — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:12:19 -0000

Sakura's Back!

Look out, Shinobu! With Sakura Yokomine's huge win over Yuri Fudoh this week, Moromizato is only 1 win and 30 million yen up on the best player on the JLPGA over the past 2 seasons! The Japan Women's Open is only 2 weeks away--should be a doozy!

2009 LPGA Tour Championship Presented by Rolex

The Constructivist — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 02:57:25 -0000

2009 LPGA Tour Championship Presented by Rolex

Well played, LPGA. Well played, indeed.

Can Shinobu Moromizato Get a Grand Slam on the JLPGA This Season?

The Constructivist — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:23:18 -0000

Can Shinobu Moromizato Get a Grand Slam on the JLPGA This Season?

She's now 2 for 2 in 2009 majors after today's win in the Konica Minolta Cup and on track to win more money than anyone else in JLPGA history. She's now won twice in a row and 6 times this season on tour. And their 3rd major is only 3 weeks away. Will it be one of the LPGA regulars in the field of the Japan Women's Open who stops her? Or one of her JLPGA rivals?

Let the JLPGA Grand Slam Chatter Begin!

The Constructivist — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:58:58 -0000

Shinobu Moromizato cruised to a 6-shot victory at the Konica Minolta Cup today. Mi-Jeong Jeon halved her lead in her first 5 holes, but as Jeon had been 10 shots down and couldn't break the even par barrier the rest of the way, and everyone else closer to the leader blew up in bad weather, Moromizato never faced a serious Sunday challenge to her bid to go 2 for 2 in JLPGA majors in 2009. She's now got 2 wins in a row, 6 this season, and 9 in her career.

The next major is only a few weeks away, and all the LPGA regulars have entered the Japan Women's Open in hopes of being the one to end Moromizato's streak. Momoko Ueda was fighting jet lag this week, but she still finished T15. Look for her to play better the next two weeks and get even more positive momentum heading into the JWO. Last year's money winner Miho Koga has been playing very well in the second half of the JLPGA season and Mi-Jeong Jeon just passed Sakura Yokomine for the #2 spot on this year's money list, so Moromizato will be facing plenty of challenges from her JLPGA peers. But, having made over 133 million yen this season--and with 11 events remaining on the schedule--Moromizato's on track to surpass Shiho Oyama, Momoko Ueda, and Yuri Fudoh, the only women in JLPGA history to have won more money in a season. Can anyone derail the Moromizato Express?

What's Going on with the Sybase?

The Constructivist — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 10:43:14 -0000

What's Going on with the Sybase?

The AP's Tom Canavan reports the latest news--leaving Upper Montclair Country Club....