The Fujitsu Ladies Tournament, which celebrated its 39th year, was held from October 15 to 17 at the Tokyu Seven Hundred Club in Chiba Prefecture. Although the final day of the tournament was cancelled due to poor course conditions caused by heavy rain, Fujitsu's Ayaka Furue won the championship through the playoffs. Asuka Kashiwabara, also sponsored by Fujitsu, tied for 6th place after a fierce competition.
As with the previous year, this year's tournament included sustainability initiatives such as charity drives to support medical professionals as well as forest conservation activities in Chiba Prefecture.
We asked our two pro golfers about their thoughts on this year's tournament.
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Ayaka Furue Won the 2021 Fujitsu Ladies Tournament!
Asuka Kashiwabara (left) and Ayaka Furue (right), contracted with Fujitsu
――Congratulations on your performance in the 2021 Fujitsu Ladies! Ms. Furue won 1st place, and Ms. Kashiwabara tied for 6th place. What a spectacular result. What inspired you two to become pro golfers in the first place?
Kashiwabara: I became interested in golf after accompanying my father to a driving range, and started playing golf at seven years old. With the support of my entire family behind me, I fell in love with golf and played the sport throughout my teenage years in school clubs as well as individual practice. My first victory on the national stage was in the 2010 National Junior High School Golf Spring Championship. In 2011, I was selected for the Japan Golf Association National Women's Team. In the following year, I won the mixed-gender Junior Open Championship held in England. I made my professional debut in 2014.
Furue: I also started golf at three years old because of my parents. I started playing golf after going to the driving range with my mother, but it was my father who became my coach. At the time, he didn't even know how to hold a golf club. My father taught himself how to coach me, and I never took lessons. It was a team effort. Starting in the higher grades of elementary school, I began participating in various competitions. In 2017, I joined the Japan Golf Association National Women's Team. I turned pro after I won 1st place in the Fujitsu Ladies Tournament that I competed in at 19 years old.
Ayaka Furue holding her winning trophy"This year hasn't gone very well for me, but I'm really glad that I was able to win this tournament that I have such fond memories of."
――When you both became pro golfers for Fujitsu, what was your impression of the company?
Kashiwabara: I initially signed my affiliation contract with Fujitsu in March 2016. The impression I had of Fujitsu at the time was that it is a global company representing Japan. I was happy to be affiliated with Fujitsu, a leading IT company.
Furue: I've been affiliated with Fujitsu since March 2021. Fujitsu has always felt familiar to me because Fujitsu's electronics (such as computers and mobile phones) are ubiquitous. But above all, I felt a strong connection with Fujitsu since my career as a pro golfer began after winning the 2019 Fujitsu Ladies as an amateur.
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――This year's Fujitsu Ladies was once again held without an audience.
Kashiwabara: Yes, it feels lonely to play without an audience... But last season was plagued with tournament cancellations because of unprecedented events, so I feel grateful just to play. Above all, even if we couldn't have spectators, I felt reassured by the heartfelt messages from all the people who regularly support me.
Furue: 2020 was a year I will never forget–I signed a sponsorship contract with Fujitsu amid the COVID-19 pandemic and experienced my first victory as a pro golfer. Competing in this year’s Fujitsu Ladies tournament without spectators was a valuable experience. I was able to reflect on myself more, but at the same time, it made me realize anew that the encouragement from spectators is vital to my daily success.
――Fujitsu Ladies first began in 1983 as a charity event to support the Sakakibara Heart Institute located in Fuchu City, Tokyo. Since then, we have conducted charity activities each year in conjunction with the tournament. This year, we are selling merchandise related to the tournament and goods provided by the competitors, and we also held a TV charity event with viewer participation. We are donating a portion of the proceeds to the COVID-19 Control Emergency Fund and forest conservation activities in Chiba Prefecture.
By the way, what kind of tournament-related merchandise do we have?
Furue: We're selling Fujitsu Ladies original merchandise such as baseball caps, tumblers, golf balls, towels, and mini tote bags. Ms. Kashiwabara and I autographed them!
――I'm sure fans are excited. The towels and mini tote bags are charity fund products made from organic cotton that we started selling this year. Are they comfortable to use?
Kashiwabara: The towels are really soft, and I'm already using them on a daily basis. The mini tote bags are useful, too.
*Thanks to the cooperation of many people, we raised 1,832,600 yen with 183 supporters. Most of the products are now sold out. Thank you very much for your support. (Editorial Department)
How To Pass On Nature’s Bounty to the Next Generation
――Fujitsu acts in accordance with our purpose, which we established as "to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation." We are focusing especially on SDGs. What do you think of these initiatives?
Kashiwabara: I believe that we are only able to play golf because there is abundant nature around us. If forests vanish due to climate change and global warming, that will greatly impact the lives of local people, and I recognize that it is also an issue that directly impacts professional golfers. Golf is a sport that lets us enjoy nature. We must do what we can to ensure that we can pass the sport on to the next generation.
Furue: In the past few years, I've also become more environmentally conscious every time I see news about the serious damage caused by heavy rain in various regions. I try to do what I can to reduce my everyday energy consumption, such as turning off unnecessary lights at home and walking or riding my bike when I can.
――I agree, we all have to do our part. This year, as part of our initiatives to realize a decarbonized society, Fujitsu fully transitioned our factory in Kawasaki and headquarters to renewable energy. How do you feel about that?
Furue: I can really empathize with that initiative. There are ways in which individuals can do our part, and there are ways in which companies can contribute, too. We must all be conscious about our impact and contribute to solving environmental issues.
The Two Pro Golfers' Future Aspirations
――Finally, please tell us about your future aspirations.
Kashiwabara: The season is entering its final stretch, so I would like to play each and every match with renewed resolve.
I'm getting back on my game, and there are upcoming competitions I have to play as the defending champion. I'll do my best to win consecutive championships. Thank you for your continued support!
Furue: Yes. The season is in the final stage and there are fewer games left, but as a pro golfer sponsored by the tournament host, I hope to win as many tournaments as possible so that I can bring back good news. I'll steel my resolve to improve my performance and win some competitions, so I look forward to your continued support!
Asuka Kashiwabara ＊Japanese website
Ayaka Furue ＊Japanese website
Related Articles
- Fujitsu Ladies 2021 ＊Japanese website
- Sustainability at Fujitsu Group
From the Editorial Department
Recently, Fujitsu unveiled its new business brand, Fujitsu Uvance, as part of its ongoing efforts to realize its purpose— “to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation.” The company also announced that it would strongly promote business activities focused on resolving social issues to realize a sustainable world. “Uvance” is a portmanteau of the words “universal” and “advance,” and embodies the concept of making all (universal) things move forward (advance) in a sustainable direction. It demonstrates Fujitsu’s commitment towards “building new possibilities by connecting people, technology and ideas, creating a more sustainable world where anyone can advance their dreams.” The brand name was selected through a global employee poll.
Under the Fujitsu Uvance brand, we aim to achieve and balance both business transformation and the realization of a sustainable society.
