Rio Takeda of Japan won the LPGA’s Toto Japan Classic on Sunday in a playoff that lasted six sudden-death holes, defeating Marina Alex of the United States, while Leona Maguire’s frustrating season was summed up with a final-round 76 that left her tied for 70th.
Maguire failed to register a single birdie in her final round, and ended the tournament on +1 having opened with a three-under 69 in an event that was reduced to 54 holes after Saturday proved a washout in the wake of Tropical Storm Kong-Rey.
But it was all about the top of the leaderboard and with relatively unheralded Japanese native Hana Wakimoto looking for a wire-to-wire victory that would be her first on either the LPGA or LPGA Japan Tours, and several other Japanese players in contention, the atmosphere was approaching fever pitch.
It wouldn’t quite pan out for Wakimoto who shot a one-over 73 to finish three off the pace, but when Alex rolled in a birdie putt on the 15th to take a three-stroke advantage over Takeda it looked as though the title was heading back west.
But Takeda, who was won seven times on the LPGA Japan Tour in 2024, had other ideas, and an eagle on the par-5 16th cut that lead to one and she birdied the last while Alex could only par and we were headed for a playoff.
It wouldn’t quite last the nine holes that the Julien Guerrier and Jorge Campillo playoff lasted on the DP World Tour a fortnight ago, but at the sixth time of asking, Takeda bested Alex on the 18th hole, carding a birdie-four to Alex’ par-five and a home winner was crowned.
“So that was my first time playoff, so I wasn’t expecting that the game was that long, but I managed to win so I’m really happy,” Takeda said afterwards.
“So this week I could manage to have my eighth win and I’m surprised with that, but I have three more tournaments to go in Japan so I need to brace myself, and I just try to finish my year in a great way.”
She’s also earned herself an LPGA Tour card for 2025 in the process, but needs a little time to let it settle in before she makes any decisions about uprooting and moving to the United States next year.
“I’m still thinking about how to join the U.S. LPGA Tour,” she signed off.
Haeran Ryu of South Korea was one shot behind after regulation with a 66. She finished at 14-under 202.
The Japan tournament concludes a four-event Asian swing for the LPGA Tour that included events in China, South Korea and Malaysia.
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