With only three tournaments to play in the LPGA Tour season it arrives in Japan for the Toto Japan Classic at Seta Golf Club.
The tournament was not in the LPGA Tour schedule either last year or in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and its return has encouraged a strong field to participate including 19 of the top 50 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking. Among those are Atthaya Thitikul, who begins the tournament having been crowned the second youngest World No.1 following her finish of sixth in last month’s BMW Ladies Championship.
Two more players in the world’s top 10 also appear – World No.5 Minjee Lee and World No.9 Nasa Hataoka. Other names to look out for include three-time Major winner Anna Nordqvist and World No.22 Ayaka Furue.
Despite being absent from the LPGA Tour schedule for the last two years, the event was still played on the JLPGA Tour. That means there are two defending champions – 2019 LPGA winner Ai Suzuki and Furue, who won the event last year on the regular season of the JPLGA Tour. Both players will have the backing of the local crowd as they attempt to replicate those feats.
A further trio of former champions, three-time winner Jiyai Shin, 2018 winner Hataoka and Momoko Ueda, who has won the tournament twice, are also in the field. Meanwhile, 2019 Women’s British Open winner and Jiyai Shin, who won the Major in 2008 and 2012, also play.
The 78-player field comprises 42 players from the LPGA Tour and 36 from the JLPGA Tour, which co-sanctions the tournament. There will be no cut and players will compete for a $2m purse of which the winner will receive $300,000.
Below is the full breakdown of the prize money and field for the 2022 Toto Japan Classic.
Toto Japan Classic 2022 Prize Money
| Position | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 1st | $300,000 |
| 2nd | $182,538 |
| 3rd | $132,418 |
| 4th | $102,436 |
| 5th | $82,450 |
| 6th | $67,458 |
| 7th | $56,465 |
| 8th | $49,470 |
| 9th | $44,473 |
| 10th | $40,475 |
| 11th | $37,476 |
| 12th | $34,978 |
| 13th | $32,779 |
| 14th | $30,781 |
| 15th | $28,981 |
| 16th | $27,382 |
| 17th | $25,984 |
| 18th | $24,785 |
| 19th | $23,786 |
| 20th | $22,985 |
| 21st | $22,187 |
| 22nd | $21,386 |
| 23rd | $20,588 |
| 24th | $19,788 |
| 25th | $19,088 |
| 26th | $18,390 |
| 27th | $17,688 |
| 28th | $16,989 |
| 29th | $16,290 |
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