Ishikawa wins Open ticket at Mizuno
BY Bruce Young | Japan Tour | 2009 Mizuno Open Yomiuri Classic | Round Four | 28 Jun 2009
Despite a potentially disastrous quintuple bogey 9 at the 12th hole of his final round, Japan golf’s golden boy, 17 year old Ryo Ishikawa, today won his third Japan Golf Tour title and in the process has earned himself a start at the Open Championship at Turnberry.
Ishikawa’s three shot victory over New Zealander David Smail at the Gateway to the Open Mizuno Open near Osaka, secures him one of the four places available via this event for Turnberry and his second major championship start following on from his Masters debut in April.
Ishikawa took control of the tournament in round three and established a three shot lead heading into today’s final round. He appeared to be cruising to an emphatic victory before the stumble at the 13th saw him lose the five lead he was enjoying at the time.
As he walked to the 13th tee he was tied with Smail and the Korean Hyung Sung Kim, who had led for much of the first three days of the event. The unflappable teenager rallied back with an eagle at the par five 16th and a birdie at the final hole to win by three over Smail and by four over Kenichi Kuboya, Tomohiro Kondo and Hyung Sung Kim.
It was a stunning performance for one so young to recover from such a destabilising mishap and further emphasises the exciting future in store for Ishikawa, who first won in Japan at the age of 15 in May of 2007.
David Smail will be delighted with a weekend which saw him move from 23rd to outright second and importantly he will now play his second major of the year as he too earns a start at Turnberry. He had his chance to win, but the trip to Scotland was no doubt one of his goals leading into the tournament.
This was the second runner up finish for Smail in his last three starts in Japan, separated by a withdrawal from the weather impacted Japan PGA Championship prior to leaving on his unsuccessful trip to the US Open. He has time to better prepare for the Open Championship however as the Japan Golf Tour now has a one month break.
Brendan Jones continued his remarkably consistent season in 2009 by finishing in share of 8th although he will be ruing a bogey at the par five 16th. A birdie there may well have seen him on his way to Turnberry. Given that Jones was four over through five holes of his first round however it was a good comeback to record his fourth top ten in six starts this season.
Rookie Steve Jeffress was the next best of the Australasians finishing 11th and earning his best cheque in Japan. Wayne Perske and Paul Sheehan were 46th.
David Smail has moved into third position on the Japan Golf Tour money list just ahead of Brendan Jones in 4th position.
The Japan Golf Tour now takes another break before the Sega Sammy Cup in Hokkaido starting on July 23rd.
