Keiichiro Fukabori wins Japan Open with brilliant last round

BY Bruce Young | Japan Tour | 2003 Japan Open | Wrap | 19 Oct 2003

On a golf course that was not offering any favours, the last round seven under 64 of Keiichiro Fukabori’s to win the 2003 Japan Open today, will be seen as one of the great rounds in the history of the Japan Open.

Fukabori had started the day in a share of fifth position, five shots behind the third round leader, Yasuharu Imano and although he had made ground on Imano by the turn, he still trailed by one at that stage. Imano then proceeded to bogey the 10th, 11th and 12th holes while Fukabori, playing several groups ahead, was home in 32 for a round of 64. Imano was unable to recover from his stumble early in the back nine and finished outright 2nd, with Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng in 3rd place. There were three shots between second and third and with only nine players breaking par for the week and just five rounds in the sixties today, a further confirmation of the quality of Fukabori’s finish.

Fukabori has played consistently this year without a lot of success, but this would be the first time he had finished better than 10th place this season. The win was his first since the victory in Hiroshima in 2001 and it was his sixth win since joining the tour back in 1994 but as a Japanese golfer, no doubt the most enjoyable given that it was his national open.

Brendan Jones was the leading Australian in 4th, sharing that place with Ricki Kawagishi and Toru Taniguchi and earning 5 million yen or $A65,000, with Steve Conran and Craig Parry finishing in 7th place.

Jones remains in 7th place on the money list with more than $A700,000 for the 2003 season.