Okamoto Wins LPGA Money Title
Ayako Okamoto of Japan became the first foreign player to win the American LPGA money-winning title by finishing second in the $350,000 Mazda Japan Classic, the final event on the tour.
Okamoto shot a final-round two-under-par 70 at the Musashigaoka Country Club course north of Tokyo to complete the 54-hole tournament at seven-under 209. The winner was Yugo Moriguchi, who closed with a 72 for a total of 206.
Moriguchi earned $52,500 while Okamoto picked up $32,375, boosting her 1987 earnings to $466,034. Betsy King, leading money winner going into the tournament, shot her second successive 71 to finish fourth at 215.
King had led Okamoto by $8,351. Her fourth-place finish was worth only $18,375, and she finished with a total of $460,385.
Okamoto, 36, won four LPGA tournaments this year. She placed ninth in the 1986 money list with $198,362.
Pat Bradley, the top money winner with $492,021 in 1986 when she was player of the year, failed to finish in the top 10 this year.
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