Mika Miyazato

Started playing golf at age eight and credits her father as the individual who was most influential on her career. Although she and Ai Miyazato are both from Okinawa, they are not related. Mika first met Ai Miyazato at age 10 when she went to Ai?s father, Masaru, for a golf lesson. Mika is four years younger than Ai.
Her nickname, ?Mikan,? means tangerine in Japanese.
Had a successful amateur career in Japan. Became the youngest winner of the Japan Amateur Women's Championship in 2004 at 14 years, 8 months. In 2006, she won the 15-17 Girls' division of the Callaway Golf Junior World Golf Championships at Torrey Pines North Course and was the 2006 Asian Games individual and team silver medalist. Also won back-to-back Japan Junior Championships in 2006-2007.
She turned pro in 2008 and joined the LPGA in 2009. She spent eight months at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in preparation for LPGA Qualifying School. She finished T-12th at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to earn Priority List Category 11 for the 2009 LPGA season and turned professional immediately following the final round.
In 2009, she recorded a career-best fourth-place finish at the LPGA Corning Classic, where she carded a career-low 62 in the third round. Also notched a T-4th at the Wegmans LPGA and was sixth at the Honda LPGA Thailand.
In 2010, her best finish was third place at the P&G NW Arkansas Championship. She then had a T-3rd at the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia and a T-5th at the Mizuno Classic. Won the Japan Women's Open on the Japan LPGA Tour.
In 2011, her best finish was fifth place at the U.S. Women's Open. Had three additional top-10 finishes, including a T-7th at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, where she crossed the $1 million mark in career earnings; T-8th at the Wegmans LPGA Championship and T-9th at the Evian Masters. She donated all of her earnings from each major on both the LPGA and JLPGA Tours to the Red Cross to help in the relief effort for the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan that year.
In 2012, she played in 20 events and made 17 cuts, earning $1,098,749 (11th on the money list). She won one event and had eight additional top-10 finishes. By winning the Safeway Classic she became the third Japanese player to win the tournament, joining Ai Miyazato (2010) and Ayaka Okamoto (1986). She crossed the $1 million mark in season earnings for the first time in her career.
2013 Notes: Played in 21 events and made 18 cuts while finishing 36th on the Tour money list. Had two top-10 finishes including her season-best third-place result at the Wal-Mart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G. Crossed the $3 million mark in career earnings at the CME Group Titleholders.
2014 Notes: Mika was 91st on the money list with $105,982 and 87th in CME points after making nine cuts in 15 starts. She finished third at the World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup, a major on the Japan LPGA Tour. Her best LPGA finish was T-21st at the Swinging Skirts.
2015 Notes: Made 22 cuts in 24 starts and ranked 28th on the LPGA money list. Was 2nd at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, the third runner-up finish in her career (T-2nd in 2012 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship & Wegmans LPGA Championship). Ranked 2nd on the LPGA in fairways hit (82%) and putting average (28.73).
2016 Notes: Played in 24 LPGA events making 21 cuts. Posted her first top-10 finish with a T-6th at the ShopRite Classic. Finished 68th on the money list with $270,663 and 66th in CME points.
2017 Notes: T-35th at the Kia Classic.