With the Fujitsu Ladies reaching the end of 3 days, the cutoff for TOTO qualification remains congested. A dramatic comeback is still possible on the final day, and the report covers the battle among Hori Kotone and others near the top of the leaderboard, as well as the current qualification picture.
This tournament is a 4-day event, with qualification for the Japan-U.S. co-sanctioned TOTO Japan Classic awarded to the top 35 players in the Mercedes rankings (MR). The points available are 1.5 times those for a 3-day event, with a wide spread by finishing position: 300 points for the winner, 180 for 2nd, 135 for 3rd, 30 for 20th and 15 for 30th. The current cutoff extends through 36th in the MR rankings, while Hori Kotone (堀琴音), ranked 54th in the MR, heads into the final day tied for 5th. An outright 2nd-place finish is cited as the minimum condition for qualification, but a comeback remains possible.
In addition to Hori Kotone (堀琴音), players including Sai Pei-In (サイ・ペイイン) in 8th, Hiruta Minami (蛭田みな美) in 5th and Sato Miyu (佐藤心結) in 13th will enter the final day. With positions likely to change substantially over 18 holes, the outcome of TOTO qualification appears set to be significantly affected. Fukuda Moe (福田萌維), ranked 38th in the MR, advances to the final day tied for 23rd, and amid continued poor form since her win last season, the day will provide an opportunity to reassess her game.
Ahead of the final day, some players have said, "If I do my best, I can move closer to qualification," and the qualification battle is expected to remain congested. For a 20-year-old player whose goal is to compete on the U.S. tour, qualifying could be a major experience, but the specific outcome remains undecided at this stage.