Former number one Miyazato to announce retirement - report

[May 26, 2017]    TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese former world number one golfer Ai Miyazato will retire at the end of the season, the Kyodo news agency reported on Friday.

Japan's Ai Miyazato during the first round Action Images via Reuters / Andrew Couldridge

The 31-year-old nine-time winner on the LPGA Tour would announce the decision at a news conference on Monday, Kyodo added, quoting her management.

Okinawa-born Miyazato won five titles in her rookie season on the domestic tour in 2004 before joining the North America-based circuit on a full-time basis two years later.

She lifted her first LPGA title at the 2009 Evian Masters in France and rose to number one in world rankings the next year.

Miyazato secured 10 top-10 finishes in major tournaments without ever winning one and claimed the last of her 25 professional victories at the NW Arkansas Championship in 2012.

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; Editing by John O'Brien)

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