Furue stands just 153cm – exactly 5 feet – but that didn’t stop her overcoming several bigger and more physically imposing opponents on her way to the championship match for the second consecutive year.

It has historically been one of golf’s great appeals that size and athletic prowess have not been the sole determinants of success.

Who could forget the 1995 US Open where the short hitting but incredibly talented Corey Pavin outplayed the oversized figure that was Greg Norman.

As the men’s game in particular has shifted more towards a power model, we see less Corey Pavins and more Greg Normans but the women’s game, while bearing some of those hallmarks, still rewards a more diverse set of skills.

It is testament to the complete physical test that golf demands that power and touch are equally important.

Everyone who plays the game is acutely aware of the 300 yard drive and the 12 inch putt being of precisely equal value on the scorecard.

But also important is that it is not only those who can hit the 300 yard drive who can compete.

"For all those youngsters who may not be the biggest or fastest or strongest in any of the other sports (or even in golf), Furue is a shining example that success is still possible in this game." – Rod Morri.

Between those two extremes lie countless opportunities for the less physically imposing player to excel, and Furue is a perfect example.

Ranked 144th in driving distance on the Tour with an average distance of 246 yards (220 metres), Furue relies on accuracy off the tee (9th) and into the greens (51st at 68.1 percent) to compete.

She’s also handy with the putter, ranked 24th on Tour in that category.

That combination is particularly effective in matchplay, as her record in this event attests, because a player with that skill set will be a match for almost anyone in head-to-head competition.

In her second year in America, Furue already has one LPGA trophy in the cabinet but is a proven winner with eight victories on her home Tour in Japan.

She has also been a fixture at the business end of leaderboards at majors these past two years and seems certain to be a multiple LPGA champion before her career is done.

And that’s good news not just for Furue but for spectators and fans of the game as well.

For all those youngsters who may not be the biggest or fastest or strongest in any of the other sports (or even in golf), Furue is a shining example that success is still possible in this game.

Furue didn’t have her best stuff in the final against Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn and lost her only match of seven for the week 3&1.

But in every other way, the 23-year-old was a winner and so, too, was the game which is richer for her presence at the elite level.