Brendan Jones wins third career title at Tsuruya Open
IN: News | Japan | Tsuruya Open (2004) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 25 Apr 2004
Brendan Jones today won his third Japan Golf Tour title by taking out the Tsuruya Open in Kawanishi.
The 29-year-old from New South Wales grabbed a share of the lead early in round four after trailing the third round leader, Tatsuya Mitsuhashi, heading into the final day. Two birdies on the front nine had him at nine under by the turn and at that stage sharing the lead with Mitsuhashi. Another birdie at the tenth by the long hitting Jones saw him edge ahead, but a bogey at the 11th followed three holes later by a double bogey at the 14th saw the complexion of day four change as several from further back in the field made their moves.
Taichi Teshima got within one when he birdied the 17th and Shinichi Yokota also challenged when he reached six under for the day and eight under for the tournament before two late bogeys saw him drop back.
Jones would birdie the 15th to see him get to nine under and that was the cushion he needed to stay ahead.
Scott Laycock, in just his second event in Japan since leaving to play the USPGA Tour in 2003, also made a big move today eventually sharing second place with Teshima, Yokota, Keiichiro Fukabori and the overnight leader Mitsuhashi, who still had a chance with a birdie at the last to force a playoff but bogeyed to slip to a share of second. Laycock struggled in the US last year with just one top ten in fifteen starts and ten cuts made in twenty five starts. It appears he is immediately back to where he left off sixteen months ago.
Jones, played well early this year in Nationwide Tour events at the Jacobs Creek Open and the New Zealand PGA finishing second in both. Prior to this week Jones was fourth on the Nationwide Tour's money list and it may be that he will play some events in the US this year in an attempt to gain his USPGA Tour card for 2005. As it stands right now however things are looking rather bright in Japan.
Of the other Australasians, Steve Conran was 10th, Unho Park 18th, Paul Sheehan and Richard Backwell 25th and David Smail 34th. Smail dropped six shots over the last three holes to cost himself a chance of a top ten finish.
The Japan Tour now heads to Nagoya for the Chunichi Crowns Tournament.
