2012 Daikin Orchid Ladies

[bangkokbobby]

more pics and leaderboard on my blog: Airi Saito’s Shoots 64 To Take Lead After 2nd Round Of 2012 Daikin Orchid Ladies Fairways and Forehands

Airi Saito


Welcome back, JLPGA! And what a return it was in the second round of the 2012 Daikin Orchid Ladies as rookie Airi Saito announced herself to the tour with an 8-birdie, no bogey 8-under 64 to grab the lead at 10-under overall. Airi’s 8-under included birdies on all 4 par 5s. She also absolutely torched the back 9 with a 6-under 30 coming in. However, for all her brilliance, 2 shots behind is 2008 US Women’s Open champion, Inbee Park. Queen Bee is also the defending Daikin Orchid Ladies champion and a 3 time JLPGA winner. Can the tour rookie hold off a player with more experience coming down the stretch?

Kumiko Kaneda


Shinobu Moromizato

[bangkokbobby]

more pics and full leaderboard on my blog: Airi Saito Wins 2012 Daikin Orchid Ladies In Three Woman Playoff Fairways and Forehands

Airi Saito, 2012 Daikin Orchid Ladies winner


Having nerves trying to secure a first win is understandable, and in the final round of the 2012 Daikin Orchid Ladies Airi Saito nearly gave the tournament away. The overnight leader and tour rookie started her final round with a double bogey. She would right the ship with birdies on 3 and 7 to make the turn at even par for the round. Subsequent birdies on 11 (which she birdied all three rounds) and 13 seemed to pave the way to her first win. But then came near-disaster with bogies on 17 and 18 and a three-woman playoff with Yuko Mitsuka and 15-time JLPGA winner Ji-Hee Lee of South Korea. Was it to be a collapse and loss to a tour veteran similar to what happened to Jenny Shin at the 2012 HSBC Women’s Champions last week? Not on this day. Airi regrouped to birdie the first playoff hole. Yuko Mitsuka did the same. Ji-Hee Lee could not manage a birdie and was eliminated. On the second playoff hole, Airi just missed a birdie opportunity but tapped an easy par in. When Yuko lipped out a par putt try, the 22-year old Saito became the first winner of the 2012 JLPGA season. By the way, for continuity with a previous post, I spelled Airi’s last name as Saito instead of Saitoh. It gets spelled both ways, but it seems more are favoring the Saitoh spelling so for future posts I might switch the spelling.

Airi Saito


Airi and Yuko Mitsuka


Mi-Jeong Jeon