Mizuno Classic Top Storylines

Mizuno Classic
Kintestsu Kashikojima Country Club Shima-Shi, Mie, Japan
(Note: Shima-Shi is 14 hours ahead of the Eastern Time Zone)

TOP STORYLINES: Week of November 2 - 9, 2014

LPGA BACK IN JAPAN
The LPGA returns to Japan for the 36th edition of the Mizuno Classic held at Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club in Shima-Shi, Mie. Throughout the years, several of the LPGA’s best have captured victories in Japan including; Nancy Lopez, Pat Bradley, Betsy King, Annika Sorenstam and a pair of former champs who are in the field this week, Karrie Webb and Stacy Lewis.

As in the past, members of the JLPGA have been invited to compete in this year’s event as 35 members, including defending champion Teresa Lu and former Mizuno Classic winners Momoko Ueda and Jiyai Shin, will be teeing it up among the LPGA’s best. For a complete list of JLPGA members competing please see page 4.

LEWIS LOOKING TO BUILD ON RUNNER-UP FINISH IN TAIWAN
Stacy Lewis came up just shy in trying to chase down Inbee Park last week and had to settle for a second place finish at the Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship presented by Taiwan Mobile.

Lewis will look to build on that solid finish and find the winner’s circle for the fourth time this season at a tourna- ment where she has had a lot of success in the past with four top-10 finishes in the past four years including a win in 2012.

END OF LONG ASIA SWING FOR 15
The Mizuno Classic will mark the end of a six event in six week Asian stretch for 15 golfers who competed in the five previous Asia events and are in the field this week.

Several of the 15 have had impressive runs during the five tournament stretch including Chella Choi (four top-15 finishes), Ilhee Lee (five top-20 finishes), Mirim Lee (Win and three additional top-20 finishes) and Pernilla Lindberg (three top-15 finishes).

LAST CHANCE TO QUALIFY FOR CME
The Mizuno Classic will represent the last chance for six golfers in the field - Dame Laura Davies, P.K. Kongkraphan, Jane Park, Paula Reto, Giulia Sergas and Kris Tamulis - to qualify for the season ending CME Group Tour Champion- ship, as none of the aforementioned golfers are in the field for next week’s Lorena Ochoa Invitational.

To qualify for the final event of the season, players must either finish in the top-72 in the Race to the CME Globe stand- ings following next week’s Lorena Ochoa Invitational or win an official LPGA Tournament. Below are the current Race to CME Globe Standings for the six players on the outside looking in.

Kris Tamulis - 74
Giulia Sergas - 76
Paula Reto - 77
Jane Park - 79
P.K. Kongkraphan - 88
Dame Laura Davies - 89

In addition to the six trying to get in, seven golfers who are on the bubble will be looking to lock up their spots in the field in Naples, including seven of the eight golfers ranked from 65-72 in the latest Race to CME Globe Standings. Be- low are the current Race to CME Globe Standings for the seven players looking to hold onto their spots.

Ayako Uehara - 65
Dewi Claire Schreefel - 66
Dori Carter - 67
Amelia Lewis - 68
Marina Alex - 69
Sydnee Michaels - 71
Laura Diaz - 72

RACE FOR $1 MILLION HEADS TOWARDS HOME STRETCH
With a mere three events remaining in the 2014 LPGA season, the focus ramps up on the inaugural Race to the CME Globe title, where the winner will be determined in Naples, Fla., at the new CME Group Tour Championship.

Awaiting the weekend before Thanksgiving is a $1 million payout for the season-long points leader. The winner of the CME Group Tour Championship could also pocket $500,000.

For all remaining events without a cut (except for the Lorena Ochoa Invitational), points will be awarded to members who finish among the top 40 and ties. The Lorena Ochoa Invitational will award points to members who finish in the top 20 and ties.

Points will be reset for the CME Group Tour Championship to ensure that the points race will be won at the sea-
son-ending tournament. Reset Points will give top yearly performers an advantage but not guarantee victory. Players who finish in the top-3 following the Lorena Ochoa Invitational will control their own destiny and would earn the $1 million with a win at the CME Group Tour Championship, while players ranked 4-9 will have a mathematical shot at the million dollar prize.

This week four players from outside of the top-9 - Karrie Webb, Mirim Lee, Na Yeon Choi and Jessica Korda - have a chance to earn their way into the top-9 with a victory.

QUICK FACTS

November 7-9
Mizuno Classic
Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club Shima-Shi, Mie, Japan

Field: 78 professionals
Yardage: 6,506
Purse: $1,200,000
Winner: $180,000
Defending Champion: Teresa Lu

Past Champions In Field:
2013: Teresa Lu
2012: Stacy Lewis
2011 & 2007: Momoko Ueda
2010 & 2008: Jiyai Shin
2006: Karrie Webb

JLPGA Players (35)
Sun-Ju Ahn
Lala Anai
Yukair Baba
Asako Fujimoto
Hikari Fujita
Saiki Fujita
Mami Fukuda
Erina Hara
Mayu Hattori
Yun-Joo Jeong
Soo-Yun Kang
Megumi Kido
Erika Kikuchi
Na Ri Kim
Kotono Kozuma
Bo-Mee Lee
Esther Lee
Na-Ri Lee
Teresa Lu
Rikako Morita
Misuzu Narita
Kaori Ohe
Junko Omote
Shiho Oyama
Ritsuko Ryu
Miki Sakai
Onnarin Sattayabanphot
Jiyai Shin
Ai Suzuki
Momoko Ueda
Ayaka Watanabe
Phoebe Yao
Sakura Yokomine
Rumi Yoshiba
Yumiko Yoshida