Japan appears to be dominating in the Women's Open, with 19 players from Japan, second only to the United States (25). Off the course, interest is also growing, with the championship featuring title sponsor AIG, as well as Japanese brands such as Mitsubishi, Nikon, Toyo Tire and Suntory as “patron” sponsors.
Telegraph Sports understands that the LPGA Tour's television audience in Japan often exceeds that of the PGA Tour, and the women's tour is broadcast on satellite channel WOWOW. The same is true in South Korea, where JTBC holds the broadcasting rights and the tournaments are given special glamour by K-pop groups. South Korea's Amy Yang won this year's PGA Championship.
Mina Park, from Seoul, and her friend Sakura were intently watching Japanese golfer Mao Saigo, who is rising through the ranks at the British Open, on Friday morning. The pair, who study in Los Angeles, were traveling to Europe to watch the women's Olympic golf tournament before heading to St. Andrews. “People might laugh, but the reason Korean female golfers are so good is because they go to a really rigorous boot camp, just like the K-pop stars in Korea. I guess that's what they call it here, but it's a really rigorous school and they expect perfection. It's part of our culture to be precise and perfect,” Park said.
Sakura added: “I've spent most of my life in the US and another reason Asian athletes are so successful is parental investment. Also, (New Zealand's) Lydia Ko comes from a Korean family and just won an Olympic gold medal. Some may think the 'Asian mom' or 'Tiger parent' stereotype is unhealthy, but they come from a very patriarchal society where golf is seen as a way for girls to shine.”
Currently, 10 of the world's top 20 players are from Asia. Asian immigrants also produce many of the stars of women's tennis, including the highest-ranked European player, Celine Boutier of France, ranked 8th in the world, and Boutier, who is the daughter of Thai parents. Ko, ranked 12th in the world, and Lilia Bu, the world No. 2 from California who won the Women's Open last year, are also of Asian descent.
