Erika Kikuchi (click to enlarge)
Erika Kikuchi secured her 2nd career LPGA of Japan (JLPGA) title with a victory at the 2016 Studio Alice Open. Her 2-under 70 left her at 14-under overall, 4 shots clear of Ai Suzuki and Jiyai Shin. However, the story of the tournament for Erika was her 2nd round, where she might have played the best golf of her professional life, recording 9 birdies and no bogeys for a 9-under 63. As sensational as Kikuchi was here, I have to give some love to Jiyai Shin, who finished with her third straight 2nd place finish. In five events, Jiyai has three 2nds, one 3rd and one 8th. She is so due.
ALL PICS CLICK TO ENLARGE
1 ERIKA KIKUCHI (-14)
with Jiyai Shin
with Jiyai Shin
with low amateur, Minami Hiruta
T2 JIYAI SHIN (-10)
T2 AI SUZUKI (-10)
T4 MEGUMI KIDO (-8)
T4 MI-JEONG JEON (-8)
T4 MIKI SAKAI (-8)
LEADERBOARD
| RANK | PLAYER | SCORE | 1R | 2R | 3R | TOTAL | PRIZE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 優勝 | Erika Kikuchi | -14 | 69 | 63 | 70 | 202 | ¥10,800,000 | |
| 2T | Ai Suzuki | -10 | 70 | 66 | 70 | 206 | ¥4,740,000 | |
| 2T | Jiyai Shin | -10 | 67 | 68 | 71 | 206 | ¥4,740,000 | |
| 4T | Megumi Kido | -8 | 71 | 70 | 67 | 208 | ¥3,000,000 | |
| 4T | Mi-Jeong Jeon | -8 | 69 | 71 | 68 | 208 | ¥3,000,000 | |
| 4T | Miki Sakai | -8 | 71 | 69 | 68 | 208 | ¥3,000,000 | |
| 7 | Asuka Kashiwabara | -7 | 70 | 70 | 69 | 209 | ¥2,100,000 | |
| 8T | Kumiko Kaneda | -6 | 69 | 72 | 69 | 210 | ¥1,650,000 | |
| 8T | Yukari Nishiyama | -6 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 210 | ¥1,650,000 | |
| 10 | Momoko Ueda | -5 | 70 | 69 | 72 | 211 | ¥1,200,000 | |
| 11T | @Minami Hiruta | -4 | 71 | 72 | 69 | 212 | ¥0 | |
| 11T | Ayame Morii | -4 | 70 | 70 | 72 | 212 | ¥1,080,000 | |
| 11T | Sun-Ju Ahn | -4 | 70 | 70 | 72 | 212 | ¥1,080,000 | |
| 14T | Rie Tsuji | -3 | 78 | 66 | 69 | 213 | ¥840,000 | |
| 14T | Yasuko Satoh | -3 | 71 | 72 | 70 | 213 | ¥840,000 | |
| 14T | Yumiko Yoshida | -3 | 74 | 69 | 70 | 213 | ¥840,000 | |
| 14T | Hikari Kawamitsu | -3 | 71 | 70 | 72 | 213 | ¥840,000 | |
| 14T | Soo-Yun Kang | -3 | 66 | 73 | 74 | 213 | ¥840,000 | |
| 14T | Kotone Hori | -3 | 68 | 71 | 74 | 213 | ¥840,000 | |
| 20T | Miyu Shinkai | -2 | 70 | 74 | 70 | 214 | ¥539,333 | |
| 20T | Yoko Maeda | -2 | 71 | 73 | 70 | 214 | ¥539,333 | |
| 20T | Saki Takeo | -2 | 70 | 74 | 70 | 214 | ¥539,333 | |
| 20T | Yu-Ling Hsieh | -2 | 74 | 70 | 70 | 214 | ¥539,333 | |
| 20T | Ji-Hee Lee | -2 | 71 | 73 | 70 | 214 | ¥539,333 | |
| 20T | Eri Okayama | -2 | 69 | 73 | 72 | 214 | ¥539,333 | |
| 20T | Akane Iijima | -2 | 74 | 72 | 68 | 214 | ¥539,333 | |
| 20T | Seira Oki | -2 | 71 | 70 | 73 | 214 | ¥539,333 | |
| 20T | Yukari Baba | -2 | 72 | 69 | 73 | 214 | ¥539,333 | |
| 29T | Ayaka Watanabe | -1 | 69 | 74 | 72 | 215 | ¥456,000 | |
| 29T | Shiho Toyonaga | -1 | 74 | 71 | 70 | 215 | ¥456,000 | |
| 29T | Na-Ri Lee | -1 | 71 | 72 | 72 | 215 | ¥456,000 | |
| 29T | Lala Anai | -1 | 74 | 72 | 69 | 215 | ¥456,000 | |
| 33T | @Moeka Nishihata | 0 | 72 | 73 | 71 | 216 | ¥0 | |
| 33T | Kana Mikashima | 0 | 70 | 73 | 73 | 216 | ¥396,000 | |
| 33T | Hikari Fujita | 0 | 70 | 73 | 73 | 216 | ¥396,000 | |
| 33T | Pei-Ying Tsai | 0 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 216 | ¥396,000 | |
| 33T | Hee-Kyung Bae | 0 | 72 | 74 | 70 | 216 | ¥396,000 | |
| 33T | Tomoko Kanai | 0 | 71 | 70 | 75 | 216 | ¥396,000 | |
| 33T | Saki Nagamine | 0 | 73 | 67 | 76 | 216 | ¥396,000 | |
| 40T | Emi Sato | +1 | 71 | 73 | 73 | 217 | ¥324,000 | |
| 40T | Shoko Sasaki | +1 | 70 | 74 | 73 | 217 | ¥324,000 | |
| 40T | Haruka Morita | +1 | 71 | 74 | 72 | 217 | ¥324,000 | |
| 40T | Yuki Ichinose | +1 | 74 | 72 | 71 | 217 | ¥324,000 | |
| 40T | Ayaka Matsumori | +1 | 69 | 77 | 71 | 217 | ¥324,000 | |
| 40T | Chieko Amanuma | +1 | 70 | 72 | 75 | 217 | ¥324,000 | |
| 46T | @Momoko Oosato | +2 | 73 | 73 | 72 | 218 | ¥0 | |
| 46T | Mayu Hattori | +2 | 70 | 72 | 76 | 218 | ¥276,000 | |
| 46T | Nachiyo Ohtani | +2 | 69 | 77 | 72 | 218 | ¥276,000 | |
| 49T | Akane Saeki | +3 | 78 | 67 | 74 | 219 | ¥261,000 | |
| 49T | Maria Shinohara | +3 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 219 | ¥261,000 | |
| 51T | Saki Inoue | +4 | 68 | 75 | 77 | 220 | ¥246,000 | |
| 51T | Esther Lee | +4 | 73 | 72 | 75 | 220 | ¥246,000 | |
| 51T | Mihoko Iseri | +4 | 73 | 72 | 75 | 220 | ¥246,000 | |
| 54T | Megumi Shimokawa | +5 | 75 | 70 | 76 | 221 | ¥231,000 | |
| 54T | Hiromi Kamata | +5 | 73 | 73 | 75 | 221 | ¥231,000 | |
| 56T | Miyu Yamato | +9 | 73 | 73 | 79 | 225 | ¥219,000 | |
| 56T | Mamiko Higa | +9 | 68 | 78 | 79 | 225 | ¥219,000 | |
| 58 | Miki Uehara | +10 | 72 | 73 | 81 | 226 | ¥210,000 |
Fairways and Forehands 
congratulations to Erika Kikuchi she is one of my favorites on the JLPGA
It does seem that her star is rising quickly, a real fan favorite.