Conran finally does it at Hisamitsu-KBC Augusta
BY Bruce Young | Japan Tour | 2004 Hisamitsu-KBC Augusta | Wrap | 29 Aug 2004
38-year-old New South Welshman, Steve Conran, today won his first Japan Golf Tour event in nearly eight seasons, when he just outlasted the well credentialed Takashi Kamiyama and Toru Taniguchi to win the Hisamitsu-KBC Augusta event in Fukuoka in northern Kyushu.
The 1989 Australian Amateur Champion, who has struggled somewhat over the last few weeks in Japan after a good start to the 2004 season, was there to pounce when the overnight leader, Frankie Minoza of the Philippines, made a shaky start to day four.
Despite a tough battle with both Taniguchi and Kamiyama over the closing nine holes, Conran was able top birdie the last two holes to win the first prize of 20 million yen or AUD$260,000 and move to 13th place on the Japan Golf Tour money list with just over AUD$400,000, his best season already since joining the tour full time in 1997.
Conran has seldom delivered at home in Australia, his best professional performance there being his surprise runner up placing behind Robert Allenby at the 2000 Australian PGA Championship. He had a good finish to the 2003 season in Australia, following on from a solid year in Japan, when he was 11th at the Australian PGA Championship and 6th at the Australian Open, but in the main he has, despite not winning there, become known more for his deeds in Japan.
He has certainly made a successful career out of playing the Japan Golf Tour, regularly keeping his card and culminating in his 22nd money list placing in 2003. In that year he was thirteen times inside the top twenty, five of those being top tens.
The event this week was played in the extremely hot conditions that this part of the country is known for and amidst the threat of a typhoon that was scheduled to hit during the weekend. Fortunately for Conran the typhoon stayed away.
Kamiyama and Taniguchi finished one shot back with six players, including Minoza, sharing fourth.
First round leader, Craig Jones was the next best of the Australians finishing in 15th place and earning 1.62 million yen or AUD$21,000. No other Australian made the cut although both Scott Laycock and Paul Sheehan did tee it up on Thursday. After such a brilliant start to the season where he won the Fujisankei Classic following a runner up placing at the Crowns, Sheehan has not played the weekend in four subsequent starts. He has withdrawn once and missed three cuts.
The Japan Golf Tour now has a one week break before the Suntory Open in Chiba Prefecture near Tokyo.
