In 2018 at the Blue Bay LPGA, Gaby Lopez celebrated her 25th birthday in style by winning her first career LPGA title. On Saturday at the TOTO Japan Classic, Lopez celebrated her 26th birthday with a birdie-birdie finish to post a second-round 67 and sit in solo second with one round to go.
“Having a birthday present with, you know, good couple of putts out there,” Lopez said. “I think maybe I just played a little bit more relaxed because I was happy to be able to do what I love. Playing on the LPGA, playing in Japan, my favorite country on my birthday, I mean, it couldn't get better than that. And having my boyfriend [Santiago Carranza] and my caddie [Alvaro Alonso] here, it just makes everything just much more special.”
Lopez will start the final round three shots behind leader Ai Suzuki, and she said with the TOTO Japan Classic being a 54-hole event it offers a different type of a challenge.
“I guess it requires a little bit more focus since the beginning. Like you got to put a low round since day one so you don't need to make up so many shots during the weekend. Maybe, you know, the tighter it gets the better I need to play since the beginning. That makes me kind of trigger my focus. Just, I don't know, be sharp since day one and be patient, because I know girls are -- I'm playing against the best players in the world. So, I mean, only thing I can do is control my mind, my emotions, and have a good attitude.”
TWO-TIME CHAMP FENG ENJOYING TIME IN JAPAN
In seven starts at the TOTO Japan Classic, major champion Shanshan Feng has never finished outside the top 30. She has four top-10 finishes including back-to-back wins at the event in 2016 and 2017 at the Taiheiyo Club. Through two rounds at the 2019 tournament, Feng is five shots behind leader Ai Suzuki at 7-under par and she said she likes the course set up at Seta.
“For three-day events you have to keep it going every day,” Feng said. “I love the Japanese courses. They're reasonable. Normally I think they're played a little bit shorter than what the LPGA does. But I think it's just fine. I think it's not a distance challenge. I think it's about the game, about the management, course management, and about the short game and accuracy.”
Feng said she is very comfortable playing in Japan, and on Sunday she will do her best to collect her sixth top-10 finish of the 2019 season.
“As an Asian player, of course food is very important and having Asian food here every day. And actually Japanese, they use our Chinese same characters so sometimes I can read. Like I might not be able to pronounce it, but I can read everything. So it makes me feel like I'm closer to home and feeling more comfortable over here.”
WITH A WIN
Ai Suzuki would become the third non-Member winner of the 2019 season, joining AIG Women’s British Open winner Hinako Shibuno and BMW Ladies Championship winner Ha Na Jang
Suzuki would become eligible for LPGA Tour Membership; she could accept immediate Membership or take Membership for the 2020 season – she would have until Monday of the CME Group Tour Championship to make her decision
Suzuki would become the 15th different winner from Japan in LPGA Tour history, and would join Kia Classic winner Nasa Hataoka as 2019 Japanese winners
Gaby Lopez would earn her second career LPGA Tour win; and would capture titles at the penultimate event for the second-straight year
Mexico would become the 10th different country to be represented by a winner in 2019
Suzuki or Lopez would become the 23rd different winner on the LPGA Tour in 2019
PLAYER NOTES
Rolex Rankings No. 24 Ai Suzuki (67-65)
- 25-year-old from Tokushima Prefecture, Japan
- Suzuki hit 11 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens, with 26 putts
- At the 2014 TOTO Japan Classic, she held a share of the second-round lead but closed with a final-round 72 to finish T13
- Suzuki is making her 15th career start on the LPGA Tour: she has made four starts at the U.S. Women’s Open with a best result of T22 in 2019, three starts at the AIG Women’s British Open with a best result of T14 in 2017, and has one start at The Evian Championship (T55, 2019) and one at the ANA Inspiration (76th, 2018)
- This is her sixth start at the TOTO Japan Classic
- Suzuki was the runner-up at the 2017 TOTO Japan Classic at the Taiheiyo Club, which is her career-best finish on the LPGA
- Suzuki has 14 career wins on the JLPGA including five wins during the 2019 season
- She ranks third on the 2019 JLPGA Money List, with five wins and 11 total top-10 finishes
Rolex Rankings No. 62 Gaby Lopez (68-67)
- Lopez hit 11 of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens, with 29 putts
- Lopez is making her first career start at the TOTO Japan Classic
- In 2019, Lopez has made 26 starts with four top-10 finishes
- Became a Rolex First-Time Winner with her win at the 2018 Blue Bay LPGA, where she aced the 17th hole in the final round on her 25th birthday
- With her victory, she joined Lorena Ochoa as the only LPGA winners from Mexico
- Represented Mexico at the 2016 Rio Olympics, finishing T31
Rolex Rankings No. 21 Hannah Green (67-69)
- Green hit 6 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens, with 29 putts
- Green is making her first career start at the TOTO Japan Classic
- In 2019, Green has made 21 LPGA starts with two wins and one additional top-10 finish
- Green is one of seven players with multiple wins in the 2019 season: Brooke Henderson (2), Mi Jung Hur (2), Jin Young Ko (4), Nelly Korda (2), Sei Young Kim (2) and Sung Hyun Park (2)
- In 2017, Green took Epson Tour wins at the Sara Bay Classic, Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout and IOA Golf Classic en route to winning Gaelle Truit Rookie of the Year honors
Rolex Rankings No. 16 Hyo Joo Kim (68-68)
- Kim hit 11 of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens, with 30 putts
- In 2019, Kim has missed only one cut in 19 starts with 11 top-10 finishes including runner-up results at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship and The Evian Championship
- Kim ranks first on Tour in Rounds Under Par (54) and Putting Average (27.67), and second on Tour in Putts per GIR (1.72) and Scoring Average (69.45)
- This is Kim’s fifth year on the LPGA Tour; she has three wins including a major title at the 2014 Evian Championship
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