Seventeen-year-old Nasa Hataoka became the first amateur to win a major tournament on the Japan LPGA tour by capturing the Japan Women's Open Golf Championship on Sunday.
Starting the day four strokes behind leader in fifth, Hataoka carded five birdies and two bogeys in her final round at par-71 Karasuyamajo Country Club and claimed the tournament at 4-under 280 and was cheered on by the crowd of 10,712.
Hataoka also surpassed Ai Miyazato's record as the youngest champion of a major. Miyazato won this event in 2005 at the age of 20.
"It's unbelievable. I'm so happy," said Hataoka, who won her second consecutive Junior World Championship in July in the United States. "I've learned a lot at the (amateur) Japan national team training, and on how to tackle courses, and I could show them today."
Kotone Hori was a stroke behind in second and Shin Ji-yai of South Korea a stroke further back in third, while overnight leader Minori Nagano, 15, finished 10th and a third teenager, Yuna Nishizawa, 16, finished sixth.
