Staff WriterWhen it comes to Japanese golf, few stages carry the weight and pride of the TOTO Japan Classic, and this year’s opening round was a statement of homegrown dominance.
Miyu Yamashita and Nasa Hataoka — two of Japan’s finest — both fired opening rounds of 65 to share the lead, each carving their own piece of precision into the fairways of this storied event.
Yamashita was flawless, signing for a bogey-free seven-birdie masterpiece — her lowest first-round score of the 2025 season and her second consecutive 65 after closing the Maybank Championship with the same number to force a playoff.
The 24-year-old Rolex World No. 4 looks every bit the rising global force many have predicted since her JLPGA days.
“It’s always special to start strong at home,” Yamashita said, smiling after her round. “The greens were quick, but I trusted my rhythm and stayed patient.”
Her opening 65 also marks her lowest score in her last four starts at the TOTO Japan Classic, beating her previous best of 66 from 2023.
With two LPGA Tour wins already this season — including the AIG Women’s Open — and 11 top-10 finishes, Yamashita is quickly turning her rookie campaign into a masterclass in consistency.
Hataoka Back in Form on Familiar Soil
Matching Yamashita’s brilliance, Nasa Hataoka made her return to the TOTO Japan Classic count. Her nine birdies — the most in the field — helped erase a couple of early bogeys and post a 65 of her own, her lowest opening round since the LOTTE Championship two years ago.
For the 25-year-old six-time LPGA Tour winner, this week marks her first start at the event since 2024, and she’s wasted no time reminding fans of her pedigree.
“I felt confident with my irons all day,” said Hataoka. “It’s been a while since I’ve played in front of Japanese fans like this — the support really lifts you.”
Hataoka has quietly put together a strong 2025 season with six top-10 finishes and a recent runner-up at the BMW Ladies Championship. With four top-10s in her last six starts and no missed cuts since May, she’s peaking at just the right moment.
Jiyai Shin Among the Early Contenders
Veteran Jiyai Shin remains a fan favourite, and she showed why on Thursday with a seven-birdie, one-bogey round of 66 — good enough to keep the leaders in sight.
A two-time AIG Women’s Open champion and 11-time LPGA winner, Shin continues to blend experience with precision, needing just 27 putts in her opening round.
Since shifting her focus primarily to the JLPGA Tour in 2014, Shin has added 29 victories in Japan, including one earlier this season. Her 2025 campaign already boasts six top-10 finishes across 21 starts, proving that her trademark calm under pressure hasn’t aged a day.
Strong Starts from the Iwai Sisters and Minami Katsu
Minami Katsu and twins Akie and Chisato Iwai all opened with rounds of 67 to share fourth place. Katsu led the field with just 26 putts — the fewest of any player — and matched her best score at the TOTO Japan Classic, last achieved in 2022.
Both Iwai sisters also impressed. Akie, playing her first TOTO Japan Classic as an LPGA Tour member, carded six birdies and a bogey to sit near the top of the leaderboard. Chisato was equally sharp, going bogey-free for a 67 — her best 18-hole score in four starts at this event.
Defending Champion Struggles, Injury Forces Withdrawal
It wasn’t the start defending champion Rio Takeda had hoped for. A round of 73 left her tied for 62nd after three bogeys and just two birdies. It’s the first time in three appearances she’s posted a round in the 70s at the TOTO Japan Classic.
Meanwhile, Ariya Jutanugarn withdrew during the first round due to injury, ending her campaign early.
The TOTO Japan Classic has a history of spotlighting the strength of Japanese golf, and with Yamashita, Hataoka, and Shin all in early contention, 2025 looks set to continue that proud tradition.
With Annika Sorenstam’s 2003 scoring record (72 holes at 266) still standing as the benchmark, the next three rounds promise a fascinating battle between the past, present, and future of the women’s game in Japan.
