lpga
LPGA’s Toto Japan Classic reduced to 54 holes after tropical storm wipes out third round
Yoshimasa Nakano
Heavy rains from Tropical Storm Kong-rey wiped out the third round of the LPGA's Toto Japan Classic. The LPGA released a joint statement with the Japan LPGA, who co-sanctions the event, that due to the postponement, the tournament will be reduced to 54 holes. The third round at Seta Golf Course is planned to resume Sunday. Tropical Storm Kong-rey first made landfall in Taiwan on Thursday.
The tour's next event, the Lotte Championship in Hawaii, is another reason why the event will be 54 holes and it’s not ideal to have it finish on Monday. The Lotte Championship is scheduled to begin Wednesday (Nov. 6), a shorter turnaround as to give its field an extra day to fly to Florida for the Annika event, the season's penultimate tournament.
JLPGA member Hana Wakimoto, the 36-hole leader at 13 under par, is now only 18 holes away from a career-altering decision. Should she hold onto her two-stroke lead over 2021 U.S. Solheim Cup member Yealimi Noh and 12-time LPGA winner Ariya Jutanguarn, Wakimoto will have the same decision that 2021 Olympic silver medalist Mone Inami faced after winning the Toto Classic as a JLPGA member last year.
Wakimoto, 27, can become an LPGA member immediately and vie for a spot in the CME Group Tour Championship over the two remaining events or defer her membership to 2025. Wakimoto, a member of the JLPGA since 2018, is contending for her first LPGA and JLPGA titles.
The delay is the second LPGA event that heavy rains have impacted in the past month. Stage II of qualifying at Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Fla., was delayed by a week due to Hurricane Milton in early October.