Japanese rookie wins easily in China to capture second LPGA title in 4 months

Rio Takeda played nothing like a rookie atop the leaderboard going into the final round of the Blue Bay LPGA Sunday in the People’s Republic of China.

Takeda—the 21-year-old Japanese golfer with great bloodlines—turned a two-shot lead after 54 holes into a six-shot lead five holes into her final round. Takeda fired an 8-under 64 to win in dominant fashion by six shots. She was never challenged and earned $375,000 for the win. She shot a course record 69-69-69-64 for a 17-under-par 271 total.

Takeda won the Toto Japan Classic in October as a non-member of the LPGA and deferred membership to the tour to this season. She already has three top-10s in five starts to kick off her maiden season with a bang.

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Australian Minjee Lee—who won at Blue Bay in 2016—shot a five-under 67 Sunday to finish second, but she never got closer than four shots on the back nine.

What it means

Takeda made a big statement by winning for the second time in just over four months, and she’s a rookie. Some golfers struggle with the pressure of playing in front, but it was clear Takeda’s confidence never wavered. Her eight wins on the Japan LPGA surely have something to do with that.

She even hit a dart on her approach shot on the 18th—then made the birdie putt—with a crowd lining the fairway. She smiled and tipped her cap, looking like she’d won dozens of times before.

Takeda is following in the footsteps of her athletic family. Her mother, Satoko Hirase, was a professional golfer and was in the crowd Sunday. Her aunt, Mayumi Hirase, won once on the LPGA Tour (Toray Japan Queens Cup in 1996) and 18 times on the Japan LPGA. At 21, Takeda already has more LPGA wins than her aunt.

Seemingly the only thing that can slow Takeda is the LPGA’s two-week break before it starts its West Coast swing with the Ford Championship in Arizona. The LPGA would’ve been off for just one week but the Fir Hills Seri Park Championship event in Los Angeles was cancelled In January.

How it happened

Takeda birdied three of the first four holes and never looked back. She had eight birdies on the day. On Saturday, she shot 69 to give herself a two-shot lead after 54 holes. Even playing with the lead on the back nine didn’t bother her. She was nearly flawless. Takeda had no bogeys in the final round and only four in the tournament. She shot all four rounds in the 60s—the only player to do so—for a consistently dominant performance.

Takeda made a nice putt on the third hole for birdie for a four-shot lead at 11 under. Neither Lee or Ayaka Furue could cut the lead to less than four shots. Takeda made five birdies on the back nine and even ended the day by birdieing the final hole with all eyes on her.

Best of the rest

Japanese star Ayaka Furue—ranked No. 7 in the world—shot a four-under 68 Sunday to finish third. Minjee Lee put on a short game clinic. She chipped in for eagle on No. 8 for her third eagle of the tournament. She had two eagles on Saturday as well.

Sarah Schmelzel had the best performance of an American golfer. She shot a final-round 69 and finished fifth.

World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul had 10 consecutive top-10 finishes before Sunday, and she had finished in the top three in her previous five starts. That run ended, although she wasn’t far off the mark with a two-over 74 to tie for 12th.

Chinese star Ruoning Yin shot a final-round one-over 73 and tied for 33rd.

American Gigi Stoll had eight birdies Saturday and was two shots back after 54 holes but shot a four-over 76 Sunday in playing in the final group and tied for 17. American Auston Kim also started the day two shots back but ran into trouble on the par-4 ninth hole where she made an eight, then bogeyed the 10th hole. She rebounded with four birdies after that and no more bogeys for a three-over 75 and tied for 10th.

Quotable

“You know, I hadn't played my best over in Asia, so I had spurts of some good stuff going on the last two weeks over here, and I was just hoping that it could come together this week.

I made a lot more putts this week than I did the last couple weeks over here, and yeah, it was just nice to play again at a course that I've played well at before and just take that confidence.” — Sarah Schmelzel, who shot a final-round 69 and tied for fifth.