JPML Pro League – October, 2009 (all leagues)
We have passed the halfway mark for the A leagues and all the others started the second season of the year. Let’s see how the pro’s fared this month.
A Leagues (6/10 sessions)
In A1, Yuichiro Migita Held on to the first place spot with a +4.5 score and is at 149.2. Masayoshi Ara is in 3rd, aiming for a spot at the final with 84.0 points. Naoki Setokuma got a disappointing -55.9 points this session to put him at 38.5, dropping him from 2nd to 6th place. Yuko Ito trails the league with a total of -171.4.
Makoto Sawazaki and Tomo Fujizaki hold a strong lead in A2 with more than 150 points each. Only 2 will move up and without a drastic change, it loks like it will be these 2. In the next 4 sessions Kazunori Takizawa and Yukio Yoshida will try to stack up some positive scores, hoping the top 2 will lose their sessions. Yoshida is currently in 3rd place with 95.3.
The only female in the A League, Aki Nikaido posted another small negative score for a total of -98.2. She is in 13th place and 13-16th place finishers will move down to B1. Hopefully she will get herself into the safe zone in the next few sessions.
B Leagues (1/5 sessions)
Hisato Sasaki, Kenta Iwai and Masatoshi Sarukawa are the 3 to watch this season in B1. Iwai and Sarukawa posted strong scores of +41.7 and +19.2 respectively. Sasaki had a small negative, but it’s still anyone’s game with 4 sessions to go. Two players will move up to A2 and 6 will move down to B2.
There are 2 women in B2 this season, Keiko Kuwabara and Kozue Miyauchi. Kuwabara took last season off and she is back and stronger than ever with 43.3 points in 2nd place. Miyauchi had her first negative posting in what seems like years with -19.2. RM.com columnist Shintaro Konno also posted a -9.2 but remains in the safe zone. Players are fighting for the top 4 spots for a chance at B1. Six will move down to C1 this season.
C Leagues (1/5 sessions)
In C1 Rumi Nikaido and defending Pro Queen Saki Kurosawa each posted small positive scores. Former Cherry Blossom champion Yuki Michi had a big negative and is going to try and dig herself out of the danger zone this season.
In C2, RM.com columnist Shintaro Kamimura is right in the middle with 18.3. Seven players will move up to C1 and 9 will move down to C3.
Down in C3 Yukiko Izumi is in last place with a disappointing -61.7. Kaoru Aisawa is at -33.3. They are both in the danger zone of the bottom 9 players. In the top 9 are MInori Uchida and Shigeru Okada. China-native ZhengFang Wang is right in the middle with 1.7 points.
D Leagues (1/5 sessions)
Rinka Tamura took last season off but is back and in 11th place in D1 this season. Out of a field of 43, Jenn is in 31st place with -19.7 and Garthe is in 33rd place with -27.8. Since both American players are in JPML’s special league this season, they will be looking for at least a positive score by the end of the season.
In D2, RM.com Cup finalist Eri Takeishi is leading the field with 75.6 points.
