All 13 Japanese athletes will be competing! The “FM Championship” will be broadcast live every day on WOWOW, and a “camera dedicated to Japanese athletes” will be live-streamed!
WOWOW Co., Ltd. Press release: August 28, 2025 To Members of the Press All 13 Japanese athletes will be competing! The “FM Championship” will be broadcast live every day on WOWOW, and a “camera dedicated to Japanese athletes” will be live-streamed! Friday, August 29th, 4:00 AM [WOWOW Prime], “Camera Exclusive to Japanese Players” Thursday, August 28th, 8:50 PM [WOWOW On Demand] ☆Live broadcasts and live streaming every day! This tournament was established last season. The venue is a relatively new golf course, originally designed by Arnold Palmer in 2002 and redesigned in 2007 by renowned golf course architect Gil Hanse and others. Built in the New England wetlands, it is a charming woodland course that makes the most of the natural terrain. The greens are well guarded by bunkers, and there are holes with bunkers in the center of the fairway. The course is also characterized by numerous holes over ponds and marshes, as well as dogleg holes. All 13 Japanese tour members, including this season’s winners Yamashita, Saigo, Takeda, and Iwai Akemi and Chirei, are participating! WOWOW, which will be broadcasting and streaming the tournament live every day, conducted a pre-event interview. ■Miyu Yamashita
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URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/1355/8395/1355-8395-93329eb2ab06f8266f110be88c90a12e-3858×2572.jpg Getty Images Q. You had a great finish (3rd place) in last week’s match. How do you feel about it? “My shots improved little by little over the four days of last week’s tournament, so I think I played really well in that sense.” Q. The atmosphere of the course has changed completely this week. What are your impressions of the course? “I think the greens are in good shape, and the away course is firmer than last week, so it’s relatively easy to gain distance off your tee shots, and I don’t think I’ll be forced to use very long clubs.” Q. Last year, you made some solid gains on the final day and were in a good position, but how do you feel the conditions are compared to last year? “The course feels the same as last year, but I’m holding shorter clubs than last year, so I think I’ll have a lot more birdie opportunities. I remember getting off to a slow start on the first day last year, so if I can improve my score from the first day, I think I’ll be able to play better than last year.” Q. There seem to be a few holes that you need to narrow down your target, but what do you think are the key points? “The green is really big, so I want to make sure I keep it on the same level, and I’ll be careful to manage it so I don’t miss it in places where I shouldn’t.” Q. Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week. “I will do my best this week to play to my satisfaction.” ■Reo Takeda
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/1355/8395/1355-8395-fc958aa644d97d342c396ff8a45017be-3080×2054.jpg Getty Images Q. You’ve been playing consecutive games, how’s your physical condition? “I’m in good health and doing well.” Q. This course is completely different from last week’s. What is your overall impression of the course? “The bunkers are pretty effective and the distances are decent, so I hope I can hit the ball exactly how I imagine it.” Q. There seem to be some areas where the rough is quite long. What do you think are the key points? “First of all, I want to make sure I stay on the fairway. The greens are all different sizes, some big, some small, so I want to be able to attack each hole in a way that suits it.” Q. Last year, scores on this course didn’t improve that much, so management was the key. What do you think will be the key this year? “There are some holes that are more difficult than the Bertie battle, so I’ll try to hang in there and do my best to take the chance when it comes.” Q. There are only a few tournaments left this season. What do you want to focus on? “First of all, I’ll do my best to give it my best in the match, and hopefully play well until the end.” ■ Ayaka Furue
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/1355/8395/1355-8395-1de2d44d36bfdbc14b1868baeb39e845-3900×2600.jpg Getty Images Q. It’s been a while since you last played on the LPGA Tour. How have you been spending the past month or so? “I went back to Japan for a bit, relaxed, refreshed myself, and practiced.” Q. Please tell us about any preparations you made for this tournament. “I haven’t been playing good golf lately, so I practiced hard with my father and was able to identify my weaknesses.” Q. Management seems like it’s going to be a key point. What do you think is important? “I totally agree with that, but don’t you think it’s best to manage things well and place them exactly where you want them to be?” Q. There are only a few games left. Is there anything you’d like to focus on going forward? “I haven’t won yet this year, so I’ll keep that in mind and do my best to win.” Q. Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week. “I hope to be confident and reach the top in my own way.” ■ Akira Iwai
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/1355/8395/1355-8395-ca06c857615f08c5a0801be5bc7f2f3b-3900×2600.jpg Getty Images Q. You’ve been on a great run this week, winning in Portland and competing for the championship last week. How do you feel about it? “It’s neither good nor bad (laughs), it just feels the same as usual.” Q. What are your impressions of this week’s course? “I thought the course was quite tricky. The greens were quite fast and had some undulations. The course itself was very beautiful, but I got the impression that I had to carefully aim my tee shot.” Q. The rough has been getting longer since last week, and the greens are sometimes small and sometimes large. What do you think will be the key points? “I get asked this a lot, but it’s all about it. I hit my tee shot in a good spot, and my iron shot depends on the pin position, but if I don’t get it on the same level, there’s a bump. I think hitting my second shot as close to the pin as possible is the key, and it’s necessary to get a birdie.” Q. I think the way you approach par 5s will change depending on the wind direction, but how do you think about this in terms of management? “Par 5s tend to have ponds, hazards, or other obstacles, so it’s all about the distance. If it’s a manageable distance, I’ll go for it, but if it’s close, I’ll probably lay up. I think it’s good to discuss how to manage that with my caddy.” Q. Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week. “I’ll have fun and do my best!” ■ Chirei Iwai
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/1355/8395/1355-8395-ea92edf4716b44ca1d95f6823220c0f3-3900×2600.jpg Getty Images Q. This week’s game is in Boston. What are your impressions of the venue? “There are trees, grass, and the wind is blowing (laughs)” Q. Following on from last week, it seems like the rough draft is progressing well this week as well. How do you feel about that? “The course was pretty long last week, and I think the quality of the grass is different this week too, but both courses were long, so I think I had good practice last week, so I’ll use that feeling this week. I also had some good chipping practice last week, so I’ll use that to my advantage and do my best.” Q. I think there are a few par 5 holes this week where you can get on in two. What do you think? “I couldn’t reach it in the practice round, so if I can aim for it with the wind or the position of the tee, I’ll go for it.” Q. What do you think are the key points to ranking highly on this week’s course? “This week, there are some pretty big mounds and big slopes on the greens, so I think it’s all about hitting from a good line.” Q. So, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week’s tournament. “I’ll do my best at my own pace!” ■Nasa Hataoka
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/1355/8395/1355-8395-62a4aca8d39a79d8d5bb8b7b20d63d92-3900×2601.jpg Getty Images Q. The Boston tournament is finally here. First, please tell us your impressions of the tournament. “Just like last week, the rough is pretty tangled, so I think staying on the fairway will be key. The green is large and undulating, so I want to get a birdie chance from the fairway first.” Q. I heard the greens are fast, but what do you think of the overall conditions? “I think it’s about 11 to 12 speeds, and I’m very comfortable at that speed. All I need to do is work on adjusting to the stiffness.” Q. You’ve had back-to-back matches since last week. How are your shots feeling this week? “I made some more corrections this week, so I think I just need to work on them properly during the course.” Q. I think this course is more about management than mutual improvement, but what did you feel were the key points? “Unlike last week, I was able to get some par 5s, but there were quite a few problems around the greens, so I think it would be good if I could both attack in the areas where I could and make sure to save par in the areas where I could.” Q. Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for this week. “I’ve been getting pretty good scores since last year’s tournament, so I’ll do my best to keep up with the pace as the matches improve.” ■Minami Katsu
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/1355/8395/1355-8395-e3c55458aa4b3476c3a22535a4c77fed-2206×1470.jpg Getty Images Q. This week you’re playing in Boston. How are you feeling? “I came back to the States from Canada last week, and this is my third year here, so I feel a great sense of relief. I’ve been feeling like I’m back home lately, so I’m really looking forward to it. I played here last year, too, and my shots were good. I didn’t make many putts, but I think if I had, I could have finished in the top ranks, so I have a really good image of the course.” Q. This will be your third consecutive game. How is your physical condition? “I’m feeling great. I’ve been sleeping pretty well, and I got a lot of sleep last week, so I think I’m feeling better and less tired.” Q.This course seems to have some tight holes, but which areas seem to be the key points? “If you hit it in the rough, I think it will be difficult to aim for the second shot and beyond.However, I think the greens are a little softer than last year, so if you go to the fairway, I think you can have a birdie chance, so I think it would be nice if you can place it firmly on the fairway and aim for it.” Q. There are only a few games remaining, but is there anything you would like to keep in mind after this? “I definitely want to win the championship, so I hope to do my best one game at a time to win the championship.” Q.Finally, please share your enthusiasm for this week. “I think it’s a game that I have a really good image of, so I’m going to focus on each bat and do my best to get into the top.” ■Shibuno Hinako
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/1355/8395/1355-8395-8a808b874daaac4b8803a0b3d3c4c0b1-3900×2600.jpg Getty Images Q.First of all, please tell us your impressions of this course. “It was my first time since I didn’t participate last year, but I guess you could call it a forest course, and it felt a little like Japan.” Q. It feels like the rough is growing well, but how do you feel about the conditions? “There are some areas that are a bit sticky, and there are some rough areas that are a little different, so I don’t like the area around the green, and I don’t like the rough on the fair bay side, so I want to avoid it as much as possible.” Q. How do you feel about the swing you are working on? “I’ll have to see it in the game, but I don’t think it’s that bad.” Q: It seems like this tournament is more about management than mutual development, how do you feel about that? “The undulations of the greens can be difficult in some places, so I think you have to carefully calculate the slope and hit the ball.I think players who are really good shot makers will come out on top.” Q. There are only a few games left, so please tell us what you would like to be conscious of “Yeah…well, I really want to pass through the preliminaries and play for four days, and there are only two games left until the Asia (Series) is decided, so I’ll do my best so I don’t have any regrets.” ■Yoshida Yuri
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/1355/8395/1355-8395-d63f98e7b3df10368f41c7602b4138c2-3388×2259.jpg Getty Images Q.This week we are playing in Boston, please give us your impressions of the course. “Continuing from last year, my impression is that the greens are really bouncy and fast.” Q.Did you feel any changes in conditions compared to last year? “I don’t think it’s changed that much, but it felt like the wind was probably a little stronger, so from tomorrow onwards I’ll be able to read the wind and control the carry of the green properly.” Q. How are your shots and putts feeling since this week? “It changes from day to day, or rather, some days are good, and other days I feel like I want to do something a little more, so it’s not perfect, but I still feel like I’m making progress.” Q. There are only a few left this season. What should I be conscious of after this? “I’d like to improve the shot system a little more, and I think it would be good if the putt system and middle putts were included more often.” Q. Please tell us your enthusiasm for this week. “This is the third game in three
consecutive weeks, and I think my condition is getting better as the week progresses, so I hope the day will come when I can get a good score and get a big score, so I’ll do my best!” ■Baba Saki Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/1355/8395/1355-8395-2b32148aa61e90475c9142dc9befa4d0-3900×2600.jpg Getty Images Q. I think you improved your game well on the last day of last week (3-under 68) and are in good shape, but is there anything you are confident about? “I haven’t been playing very well lately, and I didn’t think I’d get many under-scores, but last week I got in the 60s and had some good plays, so I’ll keep that image in mind and try to play well this week as well.” Q.This week’s course looks like positioning is important, but what do you feel is the key point? “I thought the greens were difficult, and there were many holes where it was difficult to hit the tee shot, so I would like to manage those areas properly.” Q. It looks like the rough is growing, but what kind of condition do you think it is? “I had the impression that the rough was quite difficult last week, so this week as well I would like to hit it from the fairway if possible, and I don’t want to miss the green too much (lol), so I think the shot will be important after all.” Q. There are only a few games left, but is there anything you would like to keep in mind? “I still want to improve my shot feel, so I’m practicing more in those areas, and I’m thinking about management that suits me based on my condition in the game, and I’m thinking that I can play well.” Q. Lastly, please share your enthusiasm for this week. “I will do my best to pass the qualifying rounds this week and play well.” ■Nishimura Yuna
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/1355/8395/1355-8395-9423b75c31f198f9a94ff6f789244276-2306×1537.jpg Getty Images Q. You played really good golf last week (tied for 27th place with 3 under par), and I think you’ve come into this week, how are you feeling? “My shots have been getting better since Portland, and last week I felt like I was gradually connecting with them, and I was able to play good golf in the final round for the first time in a while, so I felt a little more confident.” Q.This week the rough is getting longer and there are some undulations on the greens, what do you think will be the key points? “There are some holes where it’s hard to stop even with a wedge, so I think there are some holes where you can’t attack too much. I hope I can play based on solid defense.” Q. I heard that the fairways are hard and the greens are fast, but how do you feel about the conditions? “I feel like it’s finished really well, and there’s quite a bit of rough around the green, so I focused my practice on that area.” Q. How is your physical condition and how does the shot feel? “I feel like my physical condition and golf are really good, and I’m able to do a lot more in the game, so I hope I can continue to do my best.” Q. Lastly, please give us some thoughts for this week. “I think if I can pass the qualifying round on such a difficult course and play good golf, I’ll gain confidence again, so I’d like to work hard and aim for that first.” ◆◆◆◆◆ [WOWOW LPGA broadcast/distribution schedule] ◆◆◆◆◆ “FM Championship”
◆Broadcast/distribution information 8/29 (Friday) 4:00 am ~ [WOWOW Prime] 8/30 (Sat) 4:00 am ~ [WOWOW Prime] 8/31 (Sunday) 4:00 am ~ [WOWOW Prime] 9/1 (Monday) 4:00 a.m. ~ [WOWOW Prime] “Camera exclusively for Japanese players” 8/28 (Thursday) 8:50pm ~ [WOWOW On Demand] ☆Live broadcast & live distribution every day! ◆Held courses Massachusetts, USA/TPC Boston ◆People who are Featured Participants Miyu Yamashita, Mao Saigo, Reo Takeda, Ayaka Furue, Akira Iwai, Chirei Iwai, Nasa Hataoka, Minami Katsu, Yuka Sasao, Hinako Shibuno, Yuri Yoshida, Saki Baba, Yuna Nishimura, Gino Titikun, Nelly Korda, Hye Ran Yu, Hana Green, Jin Young Ko, Brooke Henderson, Hye Jin Choi [WOWOW LPGA program official site] https://www.wowow.co.jp/sports/lpga/ [WOWOW On Demand] https://wod.wowow.co.jp/genre/107 [WOWOW Official X & Instagram Account] @wowowgolf