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Hana Wakimoto of Japan shoots 9-under 63 to lead after the first round of Toto Japan Classic
SHIGA, Japan (AP) — Hana Wakimoto of Japan shot a bogey-free 9-under 63 on Thursday to lead by two shots after the first round of the LPGA's Toto Classic in Japan. Jin Young Ko of South Korea was two off the pace after a 65 at Seta Golf Course. Four players carded 66s to be within three shots of Wakimoto: Linn Grant, Ayake Furue, Hyo Joo Kim, and Jenny Shin. Wakimoto's score tied the Seta course record and was the best round of her career. "Recently my ball striking has been very good, so I have been confident and I could attack the pins today,” said Wakimoto, who is leading the field in most birdies made (9) and is tied for the fewest number of putts through the first round. Story by Associated Press
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Field Breakdown: 2024 TOTO Japan Classic
The TOTO Japan Classic marks the fourth and final week that the LPGA Tour will be competing in Asia. The 78-player field teeing it up at Seta Golf Course in Shiga, Japan features four past champions, including two-time winner Jiyai Shin, and six of this year’s 18 total winners, most notably Japanese major champions Ayaka Furue and Yuka Saso. Thirty-five players from the JLPGA Tour will also be competing, a group that includes twin sisters Akie and Chisato Iwai. Story by LPGA Staff
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How to Watch the 2024 TOTO Japan Classic
Fans can watch on the Golf Channel as the LPGA Tour is back in Japan for the TOTO Japan Classic at the beautiful Seta Golf Course in Otsu-shi, Shiga, Japan. The field of 78 players is headlined by six LPGA Tour Players representing Japan: Ayaka Furue, Minami Katsu, Yuna Nishimura, Mao Saigo, Yuka Saso and Hinako Shibuno as they compete for a $2 million purse. TV/STREAMING TIMES (All times ET) Wednesday, Oct. 30: 11:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m. (Golf Channel) Thursday, Oct. 31: 11:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m. (Golf Channel) Friday, Nov. 1: 11:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m. (Golf Channel - Round 2 Encore) Saturday, Nov. 2: 11:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m. (Golf Channel) LIVE COVERAGE CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON DIGITAL All the news and tournament action surrounding the TOTO Japan Classic can be accessed at any time on any mobile device and online through the help of golfchannel.com, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Story by Jennifer Meyer
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New faces, big dreams: What's at stake for Zheng, Paolini at WTA Finals
Frequent-flier and hotel points are always lovely, but the truly ultimate reward? Consider the WTA Finals Riyadh presented by PIF, which runs from Nov. 2-9 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. There’s more than $15 million available to the world’s best eight singles players and doubles teams, plus scads of rankings points -- the prize at the bottom of the Cracker Jack box for a season (more than) well done. This is becoming routine stuff for Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, both appearing in their fourth year-end championship and looking forward to determining the year-end No.1 for the second straight year. But for first-timers Zheng Qinwen and Jasmine Paolini -- both Olympic gold medalists in Paris -- it will be the culmination of years of hard work, developing technique, grinding through training -- and dreaming of this glittering opportunity. Story by Greg Garber
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Maja Stark Leads, Four Trail Close Behind at the Maybank Championship
Following the second round of the Maybank Championship, Swede Maja Stark finds herself in the lead after recording her second consecutive round of 66 at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. Players starting in the afternoon battled the rain as a two-hour weather delay plagued Friday’s round. Teeing off on No. 1, Stark opened with a birdie on the first hole to begin her day on a nice start. She proceeded to make birdies on the next two par 5s, holes 3 and 5, and was three-under through the first five holes. A bogey on the par-3 8th brought her down a shot and Stark carded a 34 on the front nine. The highlight of Stark’s round would then come on the next four holes, where she made four consecutive birdies from No. 10 to 13. The birdies jumped her into the lead, and there were no players that were able to reach her from then on. She parred her remaining five holes on Friday to card another six-under 66 and have a one-shot lead going into Saturday. “It went very well. I think I was pretty solid off the tee,” said Stark. “Had a lot of short irons. Then it was -- I've been struggling a bit with my putting this whole year, but I feel like I really had an easier time seeing the lines here than I usually do.” Story by LPGA Communications
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The WNBA's 2024 sponsorship wins by the numbers
The WNBA’s in its transformation era after a record-breaking season, but what does all this growth mean specifically for league sponsorship? Data platform Relo Metrics released a report this morning exploring how brands are thriving thanks to their women’s hoops investment. Story by The Gist
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Road to the Finals: No.1 return makes Sabalenka the one to beat in Riyadh
Back at World No.1 for the first time in almost a year, Aryna Sabalenka has the momentum heading into the WTA Finals Riyadh. With two Grand Slam titles and two WTA 1000 titles under her belt this season, Sabalenka now has her eyes on a first title at the Hologic WTA Tour's showpiece event. Story by WTA Staff
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Making Moves: CME Group Tour Championship Bubble Watch
As the 2024 LPGA Tour season enters the final stretch, and with only a few weeks left, players have a lot on the line. In the coming events, much attention will be paid to those players near the top of the Race to the CME Globe, but it's critical to remember that those on the outside looking in might have more to gain with a good week, as these upcoming tournaments will be key in determining the final standings. The Race to the CME Globe is a season-long points competition in which the top 60 LPGA Tour athletes battle for entry into the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. A win at Tiburón Golf Club will not only come with the Race to the CME Globe Champion title, but it adds an impressive $4 million to an athlete’s season earnings, making every point and every round count with only four tournaments remaining on the schedule. This week, the spotlight shifts to the other end of the rankings – those from 58 to 65 in the Race to the CME Globe. For these players, each round is of monumental importance. This week's Maybank Championship could be the difference between a trip to Naples and a shot at a share of a record-breaking $11 million purse in the CME Group Tour Championship or an early exit and the end of their 2024 season. Ashleigh Buhai is currently just inside the top-60 cutoff in Race for the CME Globe, but at No. 59, the 2022 AIG Women's Open champion can't take anything for granted. Buhai has only two top-10 finishes this season, a sixth-place result at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G and a tie for sixth at last week's BMW Ladies Championship. A solid performance in Malaysia is not a must for her to hang on to her spot, but it would be ideal with only four events remaining, as it would go a long way toward locking up a spot in Naples. Story by Jennifer Meyer
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2023 Epson Tour Grad Roberta Liti Leads Qualifying After Round One
The first 18 holes of the Qualifying Stage of LPGA Q-Series has come to a close, with the field of 194 players battling through unusual windy conditions in the Sunshine State. The current number to reach to be inside the top 35 after 18 holes of play is 1-under, with notable names such as Matilda Castren, Ilhee Lee, Christina Kim and Kelly Tan all on the outside looking in. Roberta Liti leads the way early at Qualifying, carding a bogey-free, 6-under 66 on the Bobcat Course at Plantation Golf and Country Club. Liti went on a tear as she made the turn, rolling in back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18 to move to 3-under on the round before heading to her second nine. She started her last nine holes with three pars before adding three more circles to her scorecard to ultimately post at 6-under and lead the rest of the field by one shot. Story by Epson Tour Communications
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