Two perspectives on Japanese golf
Ahead of the TOTO Japan Classic, Miyu Yamashita and Jeeno Thitikul offered complementary explanations for the success of Japanese players on the LPGA Tour. During pre-tournament media availability on 4 November 2026, Yamashita pointed to the ball-striking demands of courses in Japan, while Thitikul highlighted short-game skill and the ability to adapt to different setups.
Their remarks were reported by Golfweek senior writer Beth Ann Nichols. They were comments to the tournament media, not an exclusive interview with GOLFTWITT or an announcement of any new coaching initiative.
Yamashita: accuracy is tested on demanding fairways
Yamashita's assessment focused on the narrow fairways encountered on many Japanese courses. In such conditions, simply generating distance is not enough. Maintaining control of a shot's direction and the quality of ball contact can be crucial to leaving a manageable next shot.
She suggested that the experience of playing such courses helps Japanese golfers compete in the United States. It is important to treat this as a player's informed perspective rather than a statistical claim that all Japanese venues share the same design or that fairway width alone accounts for international success.
Thitikul: the short game matters across course types
Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul agreed that Japanese setups can be demanding. She added that Japanese players have particularly strong short games and can adjust effectively whether a course plays long or short.
The two views are not in conflict. Accurate long-game ball-striking can create opportunities, while skill around the green can help players respond when an approach does not leave an ideal position. Neither player presented a one-size-fits-all practice drill or promised a guaranteed scoring improvement.
The setting: TOTO Japan Classic
The TOTO Japan Classic runs from 5 to 8 November 2026 at Taiheiyo Club Minori Course in Omitama, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. It is jointly sanctioned by the LPGA Tour and JLPGA. The LPGA's official media schedule listed Yamashita and Thitikul among those available on 4 November.
For recreational players, the remarks suggest two different aspects worth assessing separately: the consistency and accuracy of full shots, and performance in chipping and putting. Those are editorial takeaways, not a specific training programme prescribed by either golfer.
This report draws on the original media comments as reported by Golfweek, with the tournament date and location cross-checked against the LPGA's official information.
