[ODDS and EVENS] Rio Takeda Having a Breakthrough Season on the JLPGA Tour

Rio Takeda is having an exceptional season on the JLPGA Tour.

She's had 15 top-10 finishes, including six tournament victories, in her 21 tournaments in the 2024 campaign. The 21–year-old rising golf star leads the tour in both categories.

Takeda won the Sony JLPGA Championship on Sunday, September 8 with a 19-under 269 at Kanehide Kise Country Club in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture.

It was a notable victory for multiple reasons. Takeda was a wire-to-wire winner to claim her first major Japanese title. 

She collected her second straight tournament title after winning the Golf5 Ladies tournament by one stroke over Hinaco Yamauchi on September 1 in Gifu.

In addition, after taking a three-shot lead over Akie Iwai into Sunday's final round, the Kumamoto Prefecture native maintained her poise over the final 18 holes, carding a 3-under 69 with five birdies in the fourth round. And she held off two-time defending JLPGA season champion Miyuu Yamashita, who closed with a 6-under 66 to finish as the runner-up.

Handling the Pressure

After her one-stroke victory over Paris Olympian Yamashita, Takeda expressed a sigh of relief.

"I'm relieved after a long four days," Takeda said, according to Kyodo News. "I knew Miyuu-san was going to improve her score, so I felt pressure of not letting her catch up."

Elaborating on this aspect of golf, Takeda's comments also underscored the importance of maintaining focus in a pressure-packed final round at a big tournament.

"I looked at the scoreboard on the way to the green, and I knew that Miyuu-san was catching up," Takeda told reporters. "My goal today was to improve my score to 20 under. I knew the tournament record was 20 under. 

"Yesterday and today, I was a little nervous before playing. That's why I started the day relaxed so that my swing wouldn't be stiff." 

In addition to in-round adjustments based on the level of success of her shots, Takeda also kept a firm grip on other important factors on Sunday.

"Today, I was able to control my desire to win well," she told reporters in Okinawa. "By the way, it was hot for four days in this competition. I tried to keep my concentration up by drinking water to keep my mind off the heat."

Rio Takeda Displays Consistency This Season

If anything, Takeda's breakthrough 2024 season, her third on the JLPGA Tour, has been defined by consistency.

She looks comfortable swinging her clubs while displaying a keen understanding of what she needs to do to be successful on the golf course.

Takeda is No 1 on the tour in scoring average (69.2133). Only Yamashita (69.3781) also has a below-70 average. 

In 2023, Takeda had a 70.9196 average, which put her in 16th place overall.

This season, Takeda leads the JLPGA Tour in average number of birdies per round (4.30). It's indicative of her maturation as a golfer and her consistent play. Last season, she averaged 3.5789 birdies a round (14th overall). Also in 2024, Takeda is No 4 in driving distance (262.67 yards) and second in par saving percentage (90.6667).

As a rookie in 2022, Takeda had three top-10 finishes. She increased that number to eight in 2023. (Yamashita won the 2023 season title with 20 top-10 finishes and five tournament titles.)

Takeda has taken her golf game to another level in 2024.

After missing the cut at the JLPGA season-opening Daikin Orchid Ladies Tournament at Ryukyu Golf Course in Okinawa in March, Takeda placed fifth, fifth, sixth and second in the next four events.

It indicated that she was on the verge of stardom.

Then, in the seventh tournament of the season, Takeda claimed her first-ever JLPGA Tour title, winning the KKTcup Vantelin Ladies Open by two strokes on April 14 in Kumamoto.

A week later, Takeda received her second consecutive winner's trophy, earning a three-stroke victory. She finished first in the 42nd Fujisankei Ladies Classic on April 21 at the Kawana Hotel Golf Course in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Takeda also won the Bridgestone Ladies Open on May 19 in Chiba, a two-stroke triumph ― and three sub-70 rounds out of four.

Testing Her Skills Overseas

On June 2, Takeda wrapped up a successful debut at the US Women's Open, finishing tied for ninth with compatriot Sakura Koiwai at 3-under 283 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Ayaka Furue (tied for sixth), runner-up Hinako Shibuno and winner Yuka Saso generated even bigger headlines in Lancaster. 

Takeda demonstrated in this major tournament that she's ready to be a title contender not just in Japan but also on the global stage. 

Heading into the final round of the US Women's Open, Takeda told reporters at Lancaster Country Club: "I was looking forward to playing here. So the course itself is very difficult, but I'm enjoying playing here."

In 2024, she also gained additional valuable experience by competing in three other LPGA Tour majors, the Women's PGA Championship (tied for 32nd), the Evian Championship (tied for 55th) and the Women's British Open (missed the cut).

Nervousness and Winning

Takeda notched her fourth victory of the JLPGA Tour season at the Hokkaido Meiji Cup on August 4 at Sapporo International Country Club on the Shimamatsu Course. At 12-under 204, it was another one-stroke triumph for Takeda, who held off Yui Kawamoto by the slimmest of margins.

The fourth round was an important test for Takeda, and she passed it with flying colors.

"I was very nervous today, which is unusual," she said in Sapporo after wrapping up the win, her first title in two-and-a-half months, according to the JLPGA Tour website. "Maybe it's because it's been a while since I've been in contention for a win. But I told myself I could do it. That's what I told myself."

Two weeks later, Takeda was back on top at the aforementioned Golf5 Ladies event.

For Takeda, six victories in 21 tournaments this season is a big achievement. She matched Hiromi Kobayashi's record, set in 1989, for most wins in a JLPGA Tour season that includes a golfer's first tour title.

Including the Sumitomo Life Vitality Ladies Tokai Classic, a three-round event which began on Friday, September 13, there are 11 tournaments remaining in 2024. Marquee events to be played include the Japan Women's Open Golf Championship (September 26-29) and the season-ending JLPGA Tour Championship Ricoh Cup (November 21-24).

And what is Rio Takeda's primary focus?

My goal is to do my best in every match," Takeda was quoted as saying by Nikkan Sports after the Sony JLPGA Championship. "I will not change that."

Nor should she. 

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• Miyuu Yamashita Repeats as the JLPGA Tour's Top Golfer in 2023

Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.