Japan stay ahead to win inaugural Queens match play tournament

Hosts Japan led from start to finish to win the inaugural Queens match play tournament between four of the world's leading women's golf tours.

After going into the final round at Miyoshi Country Club with an eight-point lead over the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) team, the LPGA of Japan (JLPGA) team ended with 41 points, just three ahead of the Koreans, who won eight of their nine singles matches.

The Ladies European Tour (LET) team finished third with the Australian Ladies Professional Golf Association (ALPG) in fourth.

The Japanese team won six and halved one of their nine singles matches, earning 19 points in bitterly cold conditions on Sunday and Misuzu Narita led the way in the top match with a 6&5 win over Scotland's Catriona Matthew.

Korea earned 14 points in the singles, starting in the second match when Jin Young Ko beat Whitney Hillier on the last hole but the outcome remained in the balance for much of the day.

"I'm relieved and delighted at the same time. We worked superbly as a team, and our team spirit was definitely the key in the decisive moments," said Japan captain, Momoko Ueda.

"It turned out to be a tight contest in the end, but the players' performances were superb throughout. It was a special experience and an honour to play alongside such wonderful players and I'm sure that this victory will mean a lot to everyone playing on the JLPGA Tour."

In the third match, England's Laura Davies, the LET team captain, beat Australian Sarah Kemp 2&1 in a thrilling match that went to the 17th.

Karine Icher added a half point for the LET in the 15th match against Japan's Erina Hara, earning the LET team four points from the singles.

Sarah-Jane Smith finally got a full point on the board for Australia with a 5&4 victory over Emily Kristine Pedersen before her captain Rachel Hetherington secured another win for Australia with a 2&1 win over Marianne Skarpnord giving the ALPG six points on the last day.

Davies believes the tournament is a great collaboration between the tours and hopes it will become an annual event.

She said: "Our team is very disappointed because we needed to be a little bit closer to have a chance today but the Japanese and Korean teams played so well.

"The whole team has enjoyed it and the LET as a tour is really happy to be playing in The Queens. We've really enjoyed it and I hope it's the first of many. Congratulations to Japan because they played very well."

Sunday's singles results:

Match 1: Misuzu Narita (JLPGA) beat Catriona Matthew (LET) 6&5

Match 2: Jin Young Ko (KLPGA) beat Whitney Hillier (ALPG) 1 up

Match 3: Laura Davies (LET) beat Sarah Kemp (ALPG) 2&1

Match 4: Min Sun Kim (KLPGA) beat Shiho Oyama (JLPGA) 3&2

Match 5: Akane Iijima (JLPGA) beat Lindsey Wright (ALPG) 4&2

Match 6: Sei Young Kim (KLPGA) beat Melissa Reid (LET) 5&4

Match 7: Seon Woo Bae (KLPGA) beat Stephanie Na (ALPG) 5&4

Match 8: Erika Kikuchi (JLPGA) beat Gwladys Nocera (LET) 4&3

Match 9: Sarah Jane Smith (ALPG) beat Emily Kristine Pedersen (LET) 5&4

Match 10: Ayaka Watanabe (JLPGA) beat Yoon Ji Cho (KLPGA) 1 up

Match 11: Bo-Mee Lee (KLPGA) beat Hannah Burke (LET) 3&2

Match 12: Ritsuko Ryu (JLPGA) beat Katherine Kirk (ALPG) 5&4

Match 13: In Gee Chun (KLPGA) beat Nanna Koerstz Madsen (LET) 6&4

Match 14: Miki Sakai (JLPGA) beat Nikki Campbell (ALPG) 7&6

Match 15: Karine Icher (LET) halved with Erina Hara (JLPGA)

Match 16: Jung Min Lee (KLPGA) beat Nikki Garrett (ALPG) 4&3

Match 17: Rachel Hetherington (ALPG) beat Marianne Skarpnord (LET) 2&1

Match 18: Sung Hyun Park (KLPGA) beat Momoko Ueda (JLPGA) 5&4

Final scores:

JLPGA: 41

KLPGA: 38

LET: 12

ALPG: 7