Shuri Sakuma had every reason to celebrate after producing the biggest victory of her professional career at the 2026 TOTO Japan Classic. A spectacular final-round performance earned the Japanese star her maiden LPGA Tour title. But the achievement also forced her to make a career decision she has yet to fully settle.

Despite becoming eligible for LPGA Tour membership after her four-shot victory, Sakuma admitted that committing to the American-based circuit was far from straightforward.

“At this point, I’m still 50-50 on what to do,” the 23-year-old revealed after her triumph.

Through the comment, she acknowledged that playing full-time on the LPGA Tour had never been a particularly strong childhood ambition.

According to the LPGA’s official final-round notes, Sakuma has deferred her membership until the 2027 season. While her comments to AFP reflected uncertainty about her longer-term direction, the reported deferral means she has already postponed taking up the immediate opportunity.

However, this does not mean that she does not want to play on the LPGA Tour at all. In fact, she admitted that she had never felt a strong desire to play on the tour before her victory.

Sakuma delivered a remarkable performance at the Taiheiyo Club Minori Course in Omitama, Japan, finishing the November 5-8 tournament at 20-under 268. Her rounds of 70, 65, 69, and 64 secured a four-stroke victory over runner-up Aki Iwai.

The Japanese golfer entered Sunday’s final round three shots behind Iwai but completely changed the complexion of the competition with an impressive back-nine display. After making two birdies through her first 10 holes, Shuri Sakuma took her game to the next level. She produced five consecutive birdies between Nos. 11 and 15.

She finished with six birdies on the back nine and eight overall, posting a bogey-free eight-under 64.

In her post-round interview, she said the performance exceeded even her initial expectations.

“At the beginning of today, I was aiming to get five birdies, or five under, sorry, and that was my goal,” Sakuma explained through a translator.

Her putting proved particularly effective during the closing stretch.

“Back nine, I could make some like long putts, so that gave me a lot of chances,” she added.

“Of course, this is the first win on the US Tour, and that is the biggest win in my career, definitely, and I’m happy to get the first win here in Japan,” she said.

It was a significant milestone for a golfer who had already established an impressive winning record on the Japan LPGA Tour (JLPGA).

Shuri Sakuma reportedly added that the decision was “not something I can decide on my own.”

It is also worth remembering that she is not unfamiliar with international competition. She played four major championships during the 2026 season. These included the Chevron Championship, U.S. Women’s Open, Amundi Evian Championship, and AIG Women’s Open. Her best result was a tie for 22nd at the U.S. Women’s Open, while she also finished tied for 35th at the AIG Women’s Open.

She had already made five LPGA Tour starts as a non-member that season, winning one.

The question, therefore, is not whether she can compete internationally. Her performance at the TOTO Japan Classic has answered that. The bigger consideration is whether she wants to make the LPGA Tour her regular competitive home.

Shuri Sakuma’s strong Japan career makes the decision more complicated

Sakuma’s hesitation comes after two highly successful seasons on the JLPGA. She was hardly an unknown golfer looking for an opportunity to establish herself when she arrived at the TOTO Japan Classic.

According to the LPGA’s tournament notes, the victory took her JLPGA career tally to nine titles.

She was also second in the JLPGA Mercedes Ranking at the time. Her career earnings exceeded ¥600 million. The LPGA ranked her No. 28 in the world.

That success provides important context for her decision. Moving to the LPGA Tour would mean making a significant commitment despite already having a successful career and an established position in Japanese golf.

The momentum was particularly noticeable at the same tournament. After finishing tied for 22nd in 2022, tied for 76th in 2023, and tied for 39th in 2024, she improved to fourth in 2025 before finally lifting the trophy in 2026.

AFP also reported that Sakuma regained confidence in her putting after noticing she was tied for the lead on the scoreboard around the 13th hole.

“When I looked at the scoreboard, I was tied for the lead,” she recalled. “From there, I felt I was able to regain confidence in my putting and play the remaining holes.”

Reflecting on defeating an international field, she added, “I was able to win against some of the world’s top players.”

She also believed the achievement would provide a confidence boost going forward.

“This will give me confidence going forward.”

While the tournament represented a major professional achievement, the victory also carried considerable personal significance.

Shuri Sakuma’s father regularly travels with her to tournaments, making his presence at the TOTO Japan Classic particularly meaningful. However, another family member made the occasion even more memorable.

Her older brother was also present to witness the victory.

When asked about winning in front of her family, Sakuma expressed her happiness at sharing the moment with them.

“Actually, my father comes with me every week to the tournament, and of course, I’m happy to win in front of my parents, but today especially, my older brother is here, and so I was so happy to win in front of him as well,” she said.

It was a fitting moment for a golfer who had secured her biggest professional achievement on home soil, surrounded by the people closest to her.

Sakuma is not the first Japanese golfer to find herself weighing an LPGA membership opportunity after winning the TOTO Japan Classic.

Mone Inami faced a similar situation in 2023. She won that year’s tournament as a non-member but declined immediate LPGA membership. However, she subsequently accepted membership for the 2024 season.

Her decision demonstrated that postponing an immediate move does not necessarily mean abandoning the opportunity altogether.

Ai Suzuki also provides an interesting comparison. She won the TOTO Japan Classic in 2019 but did not take up LPGA membership.

Hinako Shibuno followed another route after winning the 2019 AIG Women’s British Open. She initially declined LPGA membership before eventually earning her card through Q-Series in 2021.

These examples highlight how the same tournament can create very different career paths for its champions.

Shuri Sakuma’s situation brings back memories of Mone Inami. Whether she follows a similar path remains to be seen.