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Ai Miyazato relaxed on course in final season on LPGA Tour

FILE - In this June 9, 2016, file photo, Ai Miyazato, of Japan, tees off during the first round of the Women's LPGA Championship golf tournament at Sahalee Country Club, in Sammamish, Wash. Ai Miyazato announced her retirement last month from the LPGA Tour at the end of the season. More relaxed following the announcement, she'll play her first tournament in the U.S. since then when she tees up at this weekend's NW Arkansas Championship. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File) FILE - In this June 9, 2016, file photo, Ai Miyazato, of Japan, tees off during the first round of the Women's LPGA Championship golf tournament at Sahalee Country Club, in Sammamish, Wash. Ai Miyazato announced her retirement last month from the LPGA Tour at the end of the season. More relaxed following the announcement, she'll play her first tournament in the U.S. since then when she tees up at this weekend's NW Arkansas Championship. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

By Associated Press June 22, 2017 1 min read

ROGERS, Ark. (AP) – Ai Miyazato has known for 10 months that this season would be her last on the LPGA Tour.

The former world No. 1 from Japan is more relaxed entering this week’s NW Arkansas Championship after announcing her retirement last month.

It’s the first tournament in the U.S. for the 32-year-old Miyazato since making her retirement official. It’s also the site of her last LPGA Tour win – a final-round comeback victory at Pinnacle Country Club in 2012.

World No. 2 Lydia Ko is the defending champion at the event, which also features former No. 1 and local favorite Stacy Lewis.

Lewis won the event in 2014 and played in college at the nearby University of Arkansas.