There is not a shortage of great golfers in the world but what makes them stand out? Is it their skills? Is it their sportsmanship? Well, it might be a lot of things but what truly makes a golfer stand out is how humble they are with their golfing status. Enter Hana Wakimoto. This JLPGA golfer is the epitome of elegance and cutthroat golfing skills and her performance speaks for itself when she is on the greens.

At LPGA’s Toto Classic in Japan, Wakimoto is making waves. She shot a bogey-free 9-under 63 on Thursday to lead by two shots after the first round of the tournament. The score tied the Seta course record and was the best round of her career. Jin Young Ko of South Korea was two off the pace after a 65.

“Recently my ball striking has been very good, so I have been confident and I could attack the pins today,” said Wakimoto, who is leading the field in the highest birdies made (9) and tied for the fewest number of putts in the first round. “Brilliant start for the leader, Hana Wakimoto 💪,” LPGA posted after the round.

Wakimoto was born on October 4, 1997, in Kobayashi City, Miyazaki Prefecture. She started golfing at the tender age of 8 and has made a successful career out of her hobby.

Hana Wakimoto’s professional career

Wakimoto started her professional journey in 2018 and has been making waves in the landscape ever since. She has played in 166 matches to date and has made quite some fortune out of them. Her 2024 career earnings are $205,579 which is a vast difference in contrast to what she earned in 2023 which was $166,994.

The golfer has one win under her belt which she achieved at the Hanasaka Ladies Yanmar Golf Tournament (with a total score of 209 (-7)). In her interview, she mentioned how winning it was unforgettable for her, given her name ‘HANA’ was included in it.

Wakimoto’s recent performances include a string of notable finishes on the Japanese ladies golf tour. She tied for 19th at the Daikin Orchid Ladies Golf Tournament with a score of 286 (-2), and secured 25th place at the MEIJIYASUDA Ladies Yokohama Tire Golf Tournament with a +1 score of 289. That’s not all, she also showed her exceptional skills at the AXA Ladies Golf Tournament in Miyazaki by finishing 23rd with a -3 score of 141. But she couldn’t have done all this without her parents’s help and support.

A closer look into Hana Wakimoto’s life

We all know how important it is to have a supportive figure in your life and in Wakimoto’s case she does. The golfer seems to be very close with her parents and she recently dedicated a tribute to her father on Father’s Day with an Instagram post.

Wakimoto gave her father flowers as a token of appreciation from him and his three brothers and wrote, “Today is Father’s Day 👨🏻 I gave my father flowers as a thank you for everything from his three brothers🌻 Thanks for always coming to the games and cheering us on! From now on, I want you to take care of your body, unload your shoulders a little more, and take care of your health”. Tissues, anyone?

Not only that the golfer is very close to her family too and loves to do little get-togethers every now and then. She also has a black cat that she often posts on her Instagram to share her furry friend with her fans.

Also, did we tell you that the golfer has quite the following on her social media with a total of 103,000 followers on Instagram? Well, she does and she puts it to good use by sharing little glimpses of her life with her beloved fans. So, what do you think of the golfer’s life and career? Let us know in the comment section below!