DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Japan’s Nasa Hataoka leads the newest teenage contingent to LPGA Q-School this week.
Hataoka won the Japan Women’s Open last month at age 17, becoming the youngest winner in the championship’s history. She was the first amateur to win a major on the Japan LPGA Tour.
Hataoka, who will turn 18 on Jan. 13, is among 14 teenagers teeing it up at LPGA International this week in hopes of earning LPGA membership for next season. The top 20 in the field of 157 will earn full LPGA status, with those finishing 21st to 45th earning partial status.