Teenage golfer Sakura Yokomine missed out on a place in the Women's British Open, the fourth and last of this year's major tournaments in women's golf, Japanese golf officials said Thursday.
Ai Miyazato, Yuri Fudo, Midori Yoneyama, Michiko Hattori and Junko Omote have been assured of their places in the July 28-31 event at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, based on the Japan LPGA money rankings through the Suntory Ladies that ended on June 12.
Omote, sixth on the money list, clinched a spot after fifth-ranked Akiko Fukushima opted to sit out the tournament.
Yokomine, who has won one tour event in her first full year on the tour this year, missed the cut twice in the past month, leaving her seventh in the rankings.
In Kasaoka, Okayama Prefecture, Journeyman Hiroaki Iijima took a one-stroke lead after shooting a 7-under-par 65 in the opening round of the Mizuno Open on Thursday.
Toshinori Muto and Shintaro Iizuka shot 66s as unfamiliar names occupied the top spots on the leaderboard. Hiroyuki Fujita and Tadahiro Takayama followed another stroke behind after 67s.