Asia Swing 2.0: Hataoka’s Perfect Start Masks Bigger Questions About Tour Priorities

CHONBURI, Thailand — After 35 years watching professional golf from every conceivable angle — from the cart path as a caddie to the press box — I’ve learned that the best tournament stories often hide beneath the surface statistics. And so it is this week at LPGA Thailand, where Nasa Hataoka’s brilliant opening round tells us something important about the current state of women’s professional golf that goes well beyond a 7-under 65.

When Elite Form Arrives Right on Schedule

Let’s start with what Hataoka did Thursday. A 65 on Siam Country Club’s Old Course is no accident, and the 27-year-old Japanese star wasn’t shy about recognizing her own quality execution.

“I think my tee shots and iron shots were pretty good today, and that’s why I was able to create so many birdie chances,” Hataoka said after her round.

That’s the kind of straightforward self-assessment you hear from players operating at peak efficiency. In my experience, when someone can identify exactly what’s working — and more importantly, when that self-diagnosis matches the scoreboard — you’re looking at a player who’s done serious preparation work. Hataoka’s five individual LPGA wins and two International Crown victories didn’t come from luck or random hot streaks. They came from the kind of systematic approach she demonstrated Thursday.

What strikes me most is the company she’s keeping at the top of the leaderboard. Tied with Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen at 7-under, with Gemma Dryburgh just one shot back at 6-under and quality players like Somi Lee and Hye-Jin Choi lurking at the same score — this looks like exactly what the LPGA Tour wants: competitive depth, international representation, and genuine uncertainty about who’ll be hoisting the trophy come Sunday.

Top-ranked Jeeno Thitikul and Lydia Ko, two players with legitimate claims to being among the world’s best, posted 67s and sit six shots back in a tie for sixth. That’s not elite scoring, but in a tournament this wide open, it’s entirely manageable.

The Korda Question Nobody Wants to Ask

But here’s where that surface-level story gets interesting. World number two Nelly Korda — the player who, by ranking, should arguably be the favorite in most events she enters — is skipping this entire Asia swing. All three tournaments. For the third consecutive year.

Now, I’m not one to read too much into scheduling decisions. Professional athletes deserve autonomy in managing their calendars, their energy, and their personal lives. I caddied for Tom Lehman through enough years to understand that burnout is real, and the grind of international travel takes a physical and mental toll that stats sheets don’t capture.

But I think it’s worth noting what Korda’s absence means for the narrative we’re constructing about the LPGA in 2024.

Nelly Korda won for the first time in 14 months without having to hit a shot when the LPGA’s season-opening Tournament of Champions was reduced to 54 holes on Feb. 1 because of wind and cold that made the Lake Nona course in Florida unsuitable for a final round.

That’s remarkable, actually. Korda’s most recent victory came with minimal competitive demands — a 54-hole event that barely qualified as full championship golf. You’d think that would light a fire under someone ranked second in the world. Instead, she’s opted to preserve energy by skipping the first Asia swing.

In my three decades covering this tour, I’ve seen world-class players use these scheduling decisions differently. Some use Asia as a launching pad for momentum. Others use it as a tune-up before major championships. A few — and this matters — use it strategically to let others get wins and publicity while they prepare for the events they’ve circled on their calendar.

The question isn’t whether Korda’s approach is justified. The question is what it says about tour competitiveness when the world’s second-ranked player doesn’t think she needs to test herself against the current field. That’s not cynicism; that’s observation.

What Makes This Week Actually Matter

What I find genuinely encouraging, though, is that Hataoka’s 65 and the depth of talent competing this week suggests the tour doesn’t need any single player to carry the narrative. Jeeno Thitikul, the top-ranked player in the world, is right there in the mix. Ko — who’s quietly become a significant player again — is on her game. The defending champion, Angel Yin, hasn’t gone anywhere despite a mediocre opening 69.

Having covered 15 Masters and watched golf at its highest levels for decades, I recognize what competitive balance looks like. This field, this week, in this region where the LPGA has invested significant resources in establishing a genuine presence — this is the tour’s future operating at its best.

Thailand, Singapore, China: three consecutive weeks in Asia represents a serious commitment to global expansion. The risk is always that these events feel like checkpoints rather than destinations. The reward — if executed properly — is building a truly international tour where excellence isn’t confined to American courses or European venues.

Hataoka’s blistering start suggests that’s exactly what the LPGA is building. That matters far more than any single player’s scheduling preferences, even if that player happens to be ranked number two in the world.