The conditions at Seta Golf Course were not ideal for playing golf on Sunday. It was plagued with rain, and the ladies didn’t get enough time to step on the course to complete the round. Hence, the last 18 holes of the TOTO Japan Classic 2025 were cancelled, and it was up to the 54-hole leaders to decide among themselves who would win the title in the playoffs. While both women were incredible, it was Nasa Hataoka who came out on top in the end. And the world acknowledged her amazing efforts.

The LPGA Tour’s official Instagram page posted a graphic of her to celebrate her win. They said, “Nasa Hataoka wins the playoff after grueling conditions in Japan to reign champion 😤.” Despite missing out on most of the day’s action, both Japanese stars, Nasa Hataoka & Yuna Araki, still had the strength for one final showdown to determine a winner. Their playoffs only lasted one extra hole as Araki scored a bogey to Hataoka’s par, which awarded the latter the home soil title & a $315,000 paycheck.

It may seem like easy work to complete the tournament in 55 holes. But the conditions of the course on Sunday were bad enough to test even the best in history. Yet, the two still showed up to not leave the fans hanging, as everyone wanted to know who would grab the title. And because Hataoka also won the title on top of that, she got a lot more appreciation from everyone, including some of her peers who were not present in Japan playing the tournament with her.

Do you want to know who applauded Nasa Hataoka for her efforts? Let’s find out.

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Japanese pro gets acknowledged by Lydia Ko & Co. for beating the challenging conditions to win

After the grueling battle at Seta Golf Course, Nasa Hataoka was nothing but smiles as she lifted the 2025 TOTO Japan Classic title. But before that came the stressful moments as she faced Yuna Araki in a wet field. Lydia Ko must have recognized that as she commented, “Let’s goooo!” on the LPGA Tour’s post. Having gone through many tough battles herself, the New Zealander must be well aware of what it takes to beat tough conditions and come out on top. Her triumph in the 2024 Paris Olympics was probably one of the mentally and physically draining atmospheres she has played in.

Fellow Japanese pro golfer, Yui Kawamoto, also wrote, “Congratulations!!Nasa!!🚀.” With a name like Nasa, no wonder Kawamoto added a rocket ship at the end of her message. Hataoka truly reached for the stars with her efforts in Japan. Interestingly, the two also share a great friendship. Kawamoto spoke about their friendship during an interview at the beginning of 2025. They were also seen together during the World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup of the JLPGA Tour.

LPGA Tour star Grace Kim shared the post in her story and wrote, “Sugoi!!!!!” which translates to awesome. Kim was also playing the Asian Swing of the LPGA Tour till last week, but left it early to prepare for the Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican.

One of the supporters said, “Congrats 🎉👏 We are all happy that you, who has been leading the Japanese players, won.👏” Despite her lack of experience on the JLPGA Tour in recent years, Nasa Hataoka was still able to lead the field in a Japan-based event. The local fans were excited to watch her excel in the LPGA Tour and make them proud.

Realizing how challenging the conditions were on Sunday, someone said, “Well done and congrats, dang that looked tough.” After it rained for most of the day, the field at the Seta Golf Course was quite soft and unpredictable. Nasa Hataoka not only took on the challenge, but also beat her opponent to win her 7th LPGA Tour title was truly exceptional. She deserves all the applause she is receiving at the moment.

Other than them, Rose Zhang also liked the post to show her love & support.