Shuri Sakuma birdied five consecutive holes on the back nine at Taiheiyo Club Minori Course to run away from the field at the Toto Japan Classic. The four-shot victory earns Sakuma LPGA membership, which she has chosen to defer until next year.
The 23-year-old Sakuma has now won five times on the JLPGA this season, including the Toto, and nine times on that tour in her career. She is the second player from the JLPGA to win on the LPGA in 2026 as a non-member, joining Shiho Kuwaki, who won the 2026 AIG Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham. The pair are 1-2 on that tour's Mercedes Ranking.
Welcome to the winner's circle, Shuri 🏆 👏 pic.twitter.com/tQJQucRBMe
— LPGA (@LPGA) November 8, 2026
Sakuma began Sunday three strokes back and closed with a 64 to finish at 20 under, four
strokes ahead of third-round leader Aki Iwai. LPGA rookie Erika Hara finished a career-best solo third.
Sakuma, who earned $315,000, becomes the fifth player from Japan to win on the LPGA this season, joining Miyu Yamashita, Yuna Nishimura, Yuri Yoshida and Kuwaki. There were six different winners from Japan on the LPGA in 2025.
The 72-hole, no-cut event is the final of the LPGA's fall Asia swing. World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul finished T-46 while three-time major winner Minjee Lee placed last with rounds of 77-75-79-74.
With only one event left before the 60-player field closes for the CME Group Tour Championship, Ayaka Furue made a big push toward sealing her spot with a 12th-place finish in Japan that moved her up 10 places to 56th. England's Jodi Ewart Shadoff sits on the bubble at No. 60 while Robyn Choi, No. 61, is currently the first one out.
The field closes at the conclusion of next week's The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, in Belleair, Florida, where No. 1 Nelly Korda will return to competition for the first time since the September Solheim Cup.
Beth Ann Nichols is a senior writer for Golfweek covering the LPGA and all things women's golf. Follow her on X/Twitter (@GolfweekNichols).
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Back-nine blitz gives this Japanese player Toto title, LPGA membership
