JAPAN GIRLS EQUALLY GRAND AT TOYOTA JUNIOR GOLF WORLD CUP
Mexico ties Japan for girls' lead; Park pushes Korea atop boys' race
TOYOTA CITY, Japan (June 19, 2024) — In the days before the 30th Toyota Junior Golf World
Cup got underway, Japan’s Mamika Shinchi boldly expressed confidence that her team was ona par with last year’s record-smashing girls’ trio.
So how did this new Japanese team fare in Wednesday’s opening round? All three turned in
cards of 5-under-par 67.
Now that’s unity. And strength.
“I saw that before I went into the scoring area,” said Shinchi, who was the last player of herteam to finish. “I saw that everybody was so close together, and I was very happy.”
Unlike last year, though, Japan finds itself in anything but a runaway as play finally got
underway after a Day 1 washout. Mexico, propelled by Clarisa Temelo’s 66 that left her with ashare of the individual lead, joined the host nation atop the leaderboard at 10-under 134.
“It’s incredible to be able to compete at a tournament of this level,” said Temelo, whose 66 wasjoined by a 68 from teammate Larissa Carrillo. “To be at the top with Japan today is amazing forus.”Things are no less crowded in the boys’ division, where Gunwoong Park’s 6-under 65 lifted
Korea above a crowded pack for a one-shot advantage over Japan and the United States.
Sweden and Argentina were another shot back.
“It was a good result today,” Park said, “but we need to continue to try our best until the final
round. We'll see how it goes.”
Bright sunshine and warm temperatures greeted golfers after Tuesday’s planned opening roundhad to be scrubbed by incessant rain. The result was a parade of low scores on both sides.
Temelo’s leading 66 was matched by Jasmine Koo of the United States, equaling the best girls’
opening round in tournament history and one off the single-round record. Likewise, Park was
one shot off matching the lowest opening round on the boys’ side.
“Making 6-under anywhere is a really good round,” Temelo said. “I’m really happy with myresults today and hope that I continue to play this well.”
And as far as team scoring, Japan and Mexico each finished Wednesday just two shots off therecord-setting pace by last year’s Japanese powerhouse.
“First of all, everybody played well today,” Shinchi said of her teammates, “But to make thatpossible, we are very close. Our daily lives are together.”
Shinchi and teammate Aina Fujimoto, for example, always room together when the team travels
to tournaments. And Fujimoto lives alongside Nana Hidari at the dormitory of the boarding
school they attend in Fukuoka.
From there, it’s only natural to do everything together.
“Like yesterday, we were having putter competitions (while waiting out the rain),” Shinchi said.
“It’s a great group.”
So when everyone shoots 67, whose score doesn’t count? Shinchi giggled and, after a momentof thought, raised her hand.

No such dilemma among the Mexico squad, where Temelo heated up on the back nine to notch
six birdies in a seven-hole stretch on her way to 66.
“My first nine, I was just focused on getting pars,” she said, “then my last nine I was thinking I
can get closer to the pin. I made some really good shots, then made the putts.”
Her best hole, perhaps, came at the par-5 16th. Temelo reached the green in two, then watched
her eagle attempt from just shy of 20 feet roll over the edge of the hole. She tapped in for her
fifth birdie in that sizzling stretch.
Koo was one of just three girls to go bogey-free on Wednesday, carding five birdies in her first
12 holes and closing with one more at the tough par-4 18th.
“I was telling myself I need to birdie the last hole — I just have to,” said Koo, back at Chukyo
Golf Club after being part of the U.S. squad that was runner-up to Japan last year.
“I knew if I got (my drive) in the fairway within about 100 yards, it was about a 50 percent birdierate. I got it in the fairway, the hit (my approach) to about eight feet. Then when I made my putt,
my coach (Alyssa Waite) went wild. That was a lot of fun.”Park zoomed to the top of the boys’ leaderboard with five birdies on his opening nine, including
four in a row just before making the turn. He added another at No. 3 — his 12th hole — before
cooling off. He bogeyed twice down the stretch, though they were sandwiched around an eagle.
“My putting felt better than I thought, so the score came out well,” Park said. “Our strategy is toplay consistently and minimize mistakes.”
Wednesday’s biggest turnaround, perhaps, was authored by Team USA’s William Jennings.
After hitting his first drive of the day into the trees for a triple-bogey, he went 6-under the rest of
the way to finish with a 69 and make his score count.
“I stayed pretty calm throughout the round,” Jennings said. “It’s kind of disappointing to start
triple (bogey) on the first, but I knew there were a lot of birdies out there. I just needed to staypatient and try to turn it back around.”
The Toyota Junior Golf World Cup is the final stop of a process that began with 70 national
teams entered in regional qualifiers across six continents. The boys’ field features 12 teams
competing for the championship; nine teams advanced to the girls’ finals.
More information about the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup Supported by Japan Airlines can befound online at WJGTC.org, including a video library that includes interviews with former
participants.

#####BOYS TEAM STANDINGS
1. Koreat2. United States
t2. Japant4. Sweden
t4. Argentina
6. Zimbabwe
7. England
8. Mexico
9. Canada
10. Colombia
t11. Australia
t11. South Africa

134 (-8)
135 (-7)
135 (-7)
136 (-6)
136 (-6)
140 (-2)
141 (-1)
142 (E)143 (+1)
144 (+2)
145 (+3)
145 (+3)

GIRLS TEAM STANDINGS
t1. Japan
t1. Mexico
t3. United States
t3. Thailand
5. Spain
6. Australia
7. Peru
8. South Africa
9. Netherlands

134 (-10)
134 (-10)
136 (-8)
136 (-8)
140 (-4)
143 (-1)
148 (+4)
152 (+8)154 (+10)

BOYS INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
1. Gunwoong Park, Korea
t2. Mao Matsuyama, Japant2. Billy Davis, United States
t2. August Petersson, Sweden
t5. Seiji Hokaiwado, Japant5. William Jennings, United States
t5. Felipe Suarez, Argentina
t5. Julio Goti, Argentina
t5. Jackson Byrd, United States
t10. Keegan Shutt, Zimbabwe
t10. Kota Takeda, Japant10. Vincent Cervantes, Mexico
t10. Jaehyun Park, Korea
t10. Neo Berg, Sweden

65 (-6)67 (-4)67 (-4)67 (-4)68 (-3)68 (-3)68 (-3)68 (-3)68 (-3)69 (-2)69 (-2)69 (-2)69 (-2)69 (-2)

GIRLS INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
t1. Jasmine Koo, United States
t1. Clarisa Temelo, Mexicot3. Nana Hidari, Japant3. Aina Fujimoto, Japant3. Mamika Shinchi, Japant3. Pimpisa Rubrong, Thailandt7. Sarah Hammett, Australia
t7. Larissa Carillo, Mexico
9. Prim Prachnakorn, Thailand
t10. Anna Cañado, Spaint10. Nikki Oh, United States
t10. Balma Davalos, Spaint10. Thitikarn Thapasit, Thailand

66 (-6)66 (-6)67 (-5)67 (-5)67 (-5)67 (-5)68 (-4)68 (-4)69 (-3)70 (-2)70 (-2)70 (-2)70 (-2)