BORN June 19, 1985 HOMETOWN: Okinawa, Japan YEARS ON TOUR: 8 DID YOU KNOW? That defending Wal-Mart Northwest Arkansas Championship champion Ai Miyazato turned 28 during tournament week. She has nine LPGA victories, including two victories last year, and has crossed the $7 million mark in career earnings. Miyazato won last year’s tournament with a birdie putt on the final hole. She has teamed with fellow LPGA players Momoko Ueda and Mika Miyazato to create the Makeruna Nippon (Never Give Up Japan) organization that helps survivors of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in 2011.
FIVE QUESTIONS
NWA MEDIA:What is your most special moment in golf that happened on or around your birthday?
MIYAZATO: “Yes, three years ago, my birthday week was the ShopRite LPGA Classic Tournament. I won that week and I became No. 1 in the world my birthday week. That was a very special moment. I always remember when I have a good birthday week.”
NWA MEDIA: How excited are you to be back this year?
MIYAZATO: This is one of my favorite tournaments, and it is always a nice feeling to enter this tournament. Last year was special, I always wanted to be a champion of this tournament. I was getting close the last few years, but I couldn’t reach for the top. It was really an exciting moment.”
NWA MEDIA: Talk about being the defending champion, do you feel pressure. Do you thrive on it?
MIYAZATO: “I don’t feel any pressure at all. The people are very nice over here, and the tournament is very organized. It seems like the golf course is in good shape, and it is such a beautiful week this week. My game is pretty consistent this year. I feel pretty good. I can feel it, it’s going to be a good week.”
NWA MEDIA: What do you think about the tournament’s goal of having No. 17 as the loudest hole in golf?
MIYAZATO: “Seventeen is usually playing long on Sunday. Last year, I was hitting my 7-wood. This year is going to be different with the pin in front. I can hit 7-iron, so there will be many birdie opportunities this year. It will be different because 16 and 17 play really tough. No. 18 is a great birdie chance. There will be a little drama this year.”
NWA MEDIA: What are your impressions of Sebonack Golf Club in Southhampton, N.Y., which hosts the U.S. Women’s Open next week?
MIYAZATO: “It was beautiful. I went there for three days and had a practice round. Every day was different. The wind was different, and the green speeds were different, too. Some days it played long, and some days it didn’t. I’m looking forward to next week.
Sports, Pages 24 on 06/21/2013