01세계 정상급 선수들의 맞대결… 토토 재팬 클래식 주요 조 확정
미국여자프로골프(LPGA) 투어 2026 토토 재팬 클래식의 주요 조(Featured Groups) 편성이 공식 발표됐다. 일본에서 개최되는 이번 대회는 세계 최정상급 골퍼들이 대거 출전해 화려한 샷 대결을 펼칠 예정이다.
공개된 주요 조에는 글로벌 골프 팬들의 큰 관심을 받는 핵심 선수들이 포함됐다. 대회 초반 분위기를 좌우할 이들의 치열한 선두 싸움과 화려한 플레이는 이번 대회의 가장 인상적인 관전 포인트가 될 전망이다.
대회 주최 측은 주요 조 선수들의 경기 모습을 집중 조명하여 팬들에게 현장감 넘치는 볼거리를 제공할 계획이다. 2026 토토 재팬 클래식에서 펼쳐질 최고 봉 골퍼들의 맞대결에 세계 골프 팬들의 시선이 쏠리고 있다.
02Original (English) — LPGA
Amy Rogers is an award winning multimedia journalist and freelance writer who has covered professional golf since 2007. She is a contributor to LPGA.com in addition to the Golf Channel and BBC's coverage of the LPGA Tour.
The 48th playing of the TOTO Japan Classic gets underway this week at Taiheiyo Club Minori Course. It’s the penultimate event of the regular season on the LPGA Tour and represents one of the final opportunities for players to pick up much-needed points in not only the Race to the CME Globe point standings, but also the season-long races for the year’s biggest honors. Here’s a look at some of the groups to watch as members of the LPGA and JLPGA come together for this year’s TOTO Japan Classic.
Thursday, 9:01 a.m., 1st tee - Jeeno Thitikul, Yuri Yoshida, Chizzy Iwai
Thitikul makes her return to Japan for the first time since 2022 when she was tied for 10th. The world’s No. 2 ranked player has been on a hot streak in the closing stretch of the year with five top 10s and two victories since June. Thitikul was tied for 18th in her last start at the Buick LPGA Shanghai. Yoshida has also enjoyed a strong closing to her season after picking up her first win on the LPGA Tour at the BMW Ladies Championship she finished tied for ninth on Sunday at the Maybank Championship. Yoshida was tied for 27th at the TOTO Japan Classic in 2025. Iwai notched back-to-back top 10 finishes at the TOTO Japan Classic the past two seasons and is returning to Japan off a tie for 35th on Sunday in Malaysia.
Thursday, 9:17 a.m., 1st tee - Erika Hara, Arpichaya Yubol, Hannah Green
Hara has a lot to play for in the closing stretch of the season as she currently leads the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year race. Hara will be looking for her first top-30 finish at the TOTO Japan Classic. She was tied for 35th in her last start at the Maybank Championship. Yubol has found some form late in the season with a tie for ninth on Sunday in Malaysia. She was tied for 24th at the TOTO Japan Classic in 2024. Green, a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour earlier in the year, was tied for 27th in her last start at the Maybank Championship. The Aussie is making a return to the TOTO Japan Classic for the first time since 2023 when she was tied for 40th.
Thursday, 10:01 a.m., 1st tee - Minjee Lee, Miyu Yamashita, Nasa Hataoka
Lee is searching for a spark in the late stages of the season as the three-time major winner is in the hunt for her first top 10 on the LPGA Tour since March. Lee was tied for 52nd at the TOTO Japan Classic in 2025. Yamashita is coming off a successful title defense on Sunday at the Maybank Championship where she picked up her third victory of the year. Yamashita has played well at the TOTO Japan Classic throughout her career as well where she finished just one-stroke outside of a playoff in 2025. She was also tied for fifth in 2022. Hataoka will seek to pull off her own successful title defense as she returns to the TOTO Japan Classic already a two-time winner of the tournament. Hataoka was also tied for eighth in her home country in 2023.
Thursday, 10:12 a.m., 1st tee - Rio Takeda, Hyo Joo Kim, Minami Katsu
In 2024, Takeda won on the first extra hole at the TOTO Japan Classic for her maiden title on the LPGA Tour. Takeda put up an impressive showing in her title defense with a tie for 21st last season. Kim has been trending towards yet another win on the LPGA Tour. With two victories early in the season, Kim has finished in the top five in two of her last three starts. Kim was tied for 17th in her last appearance at the TOTO Japan Classic in 2024. Katsu enjoyed a top 10 finish at the TOTO Japan Classic in 2022 and will look to build on that solid showing with another strong performance this week. Katsu was tied for 44th on Sunday in Malaysia.
For a complete list of tee times for the opening round of the TOTO Japan Classic, click
Wednesday, November 4: 9:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. live on
Thursday, November 5: 9:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. live on
Friday, November 6: 9:30 p.m. - 1:30 a.m. live on
Saturday, November 7: 9:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. live on