Ai Miyazato: Japan’s First World No. 1 Golfer
Ai Miyazato: Japan’s First World No. 1 Golfer
Nine LPGA wins and the first Japanese golfer to reach world number one. Here is the career of Ai Miyazato.
Ai Miyazato was the first Japanese golfer to reach world number one. A nine-time LPGA Tour winner and fifteen-time winner in Japan, she topped the Women’s World Golf Rankings in 2010 and was the face of Japanese women’s golf for a generation before retiring in 2017.
1. World number one
Top of the world.
In 2010 Miyazato won five times and rose to world number one in the Women’s World Golf Rankings — a first for a Japanese golfer.1
2. A prolific winner
Wins on both sides of the Pacific.
She won nine times on the LPGA Tour — including two Evian Masters titles — and fifteen times on the Japan tour, a record of sustained excellence.1
3. A teenage prodigy
A star from the start.
Still a high-school amateur in 2003, she won a professional event in Japan; she then won five times as a JLPGA rookie in 2004.1 She retired at the end of the 2017 season.
4. Why she matters
The pioneer of Japanese women’s golf.
Miyazato opened the door to the top of the world game for Japanese women, paving the way for major champions like Hinako Shibuno.
Frequently asked questions
Was Ai Miyazato world number one?
Yes — she reached world number one in 2010, the first Japanese golfer to do so.
How many tournaments did she win?
Nine on the LPGA Tour and fifteen on the Japan tour.
When did she retire?
At the end of the 2017 season.
Keep exploring
Explore the stories, systems and culture behind Japanese sport.
Sources & notes
- First Japanese golfer to reach world number one (2010); nine LPGA Tour wins (incl. two Evian Masters), fifteen JLPGA wins; pro win as an amateur in 2003; retired 2017. Wikipedia; Golf Digest.
A profile dated 21 June 2026. No copyrighted material is reproduced.
📅 更新履歴
| 日付 | 変更内容 |
|---|---|
| 2026年6月22日 | 初回公開 |
✅ ファクト再検証
最終検証日：2026年6月22日
SportsPulse 編集部が公開情報をもとに内容を確認しています。情報は確認時点のものです。最新情報は各公式サイトをご確認ください。