Miyase tops Japan moneylist following Munsingwear
IN: News | Japan | Munsingwear Open KSB Cup (2003) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 25 May 2003
You could call Hirofume Miyase's 2003 season on the Japan Golf Tour a lot of things but the word consistent does not exactly come to mind. In seven events this season he has won twice, been 29th, 37th in two more and missed three cuts.
His win in this week's Munsingwear KSB Open however, is his sixth win on tour since his arrival in 1990 and, although not consistent this season, he has been a prolific money winner over the last few years. He won earlier in the season at the Tsuruya Open and with this win, goes to the top of the money list.
Miyase started the last round in second place just one shot behind South Korean S.K. Ho and Taichi Teshima but stated his intentions early with three consecutive birdies to start his final round which had him leading by two. From there on it was essentially all over. He went onto win by three from S.K. Ho and by four from Taichi Teshima and Mitshuhiro Tateyama.
Miyase not only has the lead on the 2003 Japan Tour money list with 45 million yen (equivalent $A600,000), he is now some 17 million yen ahead of American Todd Hamilton in second place.
Steve Conran was the only Australian to make the cut and his eleventh place finish has him continuing a solid, if not spectacular, season to date. He had four good finishes before missing the cut last week at the Japan PGA Championship but a cheque for around 2.5 million yen ($A32,000), will do no harm, in fact jumping him to 27th on the money list. Conran is now perhaps just one top ten away from securing his playing rights for 2004.
The Japan Golf Tour now heads to the Ibaragi Prefecture north east of Tokyo for the Diamond Cup event.
