Momoko Ueda: Pearly Gates Golf Girl Wins Mizuno Classic

Momoko Ueda 2011 Mizuno Classic           Photo: Adam Pretty/Getty Images

Like other uplifting golf stories of the past weekend Momoko Ueda's emotional win at the Mizuno Classic was eclipsed by what's now known in polite circles as the "William's Flap".  Blame the golf media or the social networks... or human nature... for that, but it's the way things are these days:  bad behavior... ignorant, inflamatory outbursts and old fashioned drunken debauchery will always trump the feel-good narrative.  You don't have to be a Kardashian to know that.

For Momoko Ueda however, the weekend was about a long awaited win. Her first victory since the 2009 AXA Ladies Open and her first career win as LPGA member.  It was an emotional win that came with a 15-foot birdie putt in a playoff with China's Shanshan Feng.

"I was starting to think I'd never win again," said Ueda, who earned her LPGA Tour card victory at this same tournament in 2007.  "It's been a tough four years in America."  Rough, but worth it,  for the talented 25-year-old player the lad mags have labeled "hot golfer chick" and called "so cute it's painful".

As usual, the bloggers at Mostly Harmless covered the Mizuno Classic from start to finish... with insider's eyes.  Their posts are always a great way to get a feel of the Asian tournaments.  Then there's the exuberant Bankok Bobby, he has some great Mizuno Classic photos and video on his blog.

I just want to make a brief mention of Momoko Ueda's sartorial style, because as many around the world have noticed... it's awesome.  And this goes along with a recurring obsession theme here at Golf Girl's Diary: the Japanese are designing the most exciting golf apparel out there and the Asian players are wearing it in ways that transcend the sport.

Pearly Gates Autumn 2011

Pearly Gates, Momoko Ueda's apparel sponsor, is a golf brand from Sanei International,  one of the hippest fashion conglomerates in Japan.  You need only have a look at their 2011 Autumn catalog to appreciate the way this company manages to mix golf apparel traditions with both urban grit and runway chic. The result is... quite simply... golf fashion. Something we're just beginning to discover on this side of the Atlantic.

Granted, the fact that much of the golf played in Japan takes place in urban areas... at ubiquitous multi-tiered driving and in chic indoor centers... allows designers to push the envelope in ways that probably wouldn't fly at conservative suburban country clubs in this country,  but you've also got to look at the way Ueda, and other players, wear the brand in competition.  What you see are outfits that look professional, functional, comfortable and uber-stylish.  All at the same time... and I think that's what lot's of us US hackers recreational golfers are looking for. 

In any case we'll happily be seeing more of Momoko on these shores, among other things her move from outside the top 48 on the money list to #33 has secured her a 2012 Sybase Match Play spot.

For more on Momoko... and her singular style sense:

Momoko's multi-chromatic website
A Quick 18 with Momoko Ueda
Air Magazine - Interview with Momoko Ueda
Sunny Side Up Momoko's Very Cool PR People
Momoko Ueda - My Favorite Things
Momoko Ueda - Nail Art

JLPGA - Raising Funds & Facing Event Cancellations

.

The LPGA took giving to a whole new level at the inaugural Founder's Cup this past weekend, with the entire $1 million purse going to charity.  Half the amount went to Girls Golf and the other half to player designated charities with quite a few players choosing Japan Relief charities for their shares. 

Meanwhile half a world away a group of JLPA players... their country facing an epic disaster and their tournaments canceled... got together and took action at Hakata station in Fukuoka, a historical city in southern Japan.  Eleven players gathered collection bins and lined up their golf bags at Station Square. There they spent spent hours on a rainy Saturday afternoon collecting donations for their countrymen whose lives have been so terribly turned around by the recent disasters. This endeavor was initiated by Yui Kawahara, a twenty two year old player who's know for her whimsical cowboy hats.  Her family home actually sustained some damage during the earthquake.  Other players who joined the fundraising were Ryuu Ritsuko, Rui Kitada, Baba Yukari, Yumiko Baba, Shinobu Moromizato, Saiki Miki, Iizima Akane, Koga Miho, Sato Nozomi and Arimura Tie.   And there to lend the lady golfers a hand were Kazumi Saitou and Nobuhiko Matsunaka players from the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks baseball team. 

The group collected 75,480,222 yen in just a couple of hours and a strong media presence at the station ensured that their message of giving would be heard.  Others in the Japanese golf industry donated generously as well, with companies like Bridgestone Group, and Yonex... as well as groups like the Japanese Golf Writer's Association and The Women's Professional Association... offering services, products and much needed funds.

Three consecutive JLPGA events have been canceled since the March 11 earthquake.  Most recently it was announced that The Yamaha Ladies Open, scheduled for April 1-3, would not take place.  The extent of the disaster makes that understandable but I'm guessing it's frustrating for the players.

Ai Miyazato, who'll be playing in the US this week at the Kia Classic wrote a touching story for Golf.com. today, in it the player... who has held the No. 1 spot in the world several time during the past year...  spoke of wanting to play now, and to the best of her abilities, because athletes can provide hope and courage.  In addition, she'll be fund raising through a website she's set up with Momoko Ueda and Mika Miyazato who are also playing on the LPGA Tour.  Their slogan is Makeruna Nippon which means,  Never give up, Japan. The site can be found at  justgiving.com/MakerunaNippon.

Photos: via GDO Japan
Sources: 
GDO Japan
GOLF.com - The tragedy in Japan has inspired me to play better and help others

Japan Women's Open - Mika Miyazato Breaks Through

She's the "other" Miyazato. Less famous... for the time-being... than current World Number 1.

Mika Miyazato grabbed her first professional title yesterday, by winning the prestigious Japan Women's Open by six strokes.

This maiden maiden victory on the JLPGA must certainly have been sweet for Mikan, considering what happened a year ago.  At the same 2009 event Miyazato entered the final round with a four-shot lead... just as she did yesterday, but late in the round the proverbial "wheels fell off", ultimately resulting in a disappointing T6 finish.

This year however the girl from Okinawa wasn't about to let history repeat itself... or at least that's how it seemed when she fired three consecutive birdies in the middle of the back nine... effectively removing all doubt that this was her year.

It was an impressive win, brought to my attention by The Constructivist whose blog, Mostly Harmless, has long been my top independent source of up-to-the-minute information on women's professional golf... and is without a doubt the definitive English language blog covering the Asian women's golf tours.

In the wake of 2010 The Ryder Cup... which reinforced the idea of golf as an increasingly global game... it's great to know there are excellent sources for news and information on golf in places that are now producing some of the world's best players.

And in the interest of fun, flirty and fashionable, check out this awesome mash-up of the past weekend's action at the Japan Women's Open.