Chang Ik-Je takes the glory alone this time
BY Bruce Young | Japan Tour | 2005 Mitsubishi Diamond Cup Golf | Wrap | 29 May 2005
Eighteen months ago Korean Chang Ik-Je won an event on the Korean Professional Golf tour and gained little recognition for doing so. Today when winning for the first time on the Japan Golf Tour at the Mitsubishi Diamond Cup event, it is he who receives the accolades for having beaten a strong Japan Golf Tour field and opening up a future for his career in that country.
Back in October of 2003, Chang won the SBS Super Tournament on the KPGA Golf Tour and in the field that week was Se Ri Pak who, in finishing 10th, became the first female golfer in nearly 60 years to make the cut in a male event. All the hype that week, especially in her homeland, went to Pak but today Chang can hold his head high in the knowledge that the accolades are his and his alone. That’s not to say there haven’t been other victories in Korea for Chang, in fact he led the South Korean Tour’s money list in 2004 but from today the name of Chang Ik- Je will be known outside of Korea for more than just being the winner of the event in which Pak made history.
The 32-year-old from Korea is in his first season on the Japan Golf Tour. He played two events in Japan in 2004, missing the cut in both but this season this was his third event having finished a solid 20th at the Tsuruya Open and then just last week being in good position after thirty six holes until his final round of 78 cost him any chance of a good finish.
This week however, almost as if learning from the experience gained in his first two events here this season, Chang took a three shot lead into round four on a golf course that had proven a handful for most of the field this week. The Higashi Hirono Golf Club in Hyogo Prefecture is considered one of the toughest courses on the Japan Golf Tour and one look at the scoring this week reinforces that perception with only four players finishing the event under par.
Despite the fact that Chang had such a significant lead, many felt that the experienced Toshi Izawa and others may well run Chang down on the final day. Izawa is, after all, a fourteen time winner on the Japan Golf Tour but Chang would show that his wins in Korea would stand him in good stead for what was likely the most significant day in his golfing life. Ironically it was Izawa who was first to crack when he bogeyed the 3rd then double bogeyed the 4th which saw Chang take a two shot lead over Australian and first round leader, Paul Sheehan, at that stage.
Chang kept his composure from that point on and with three further birdies and no mistakes, recorded a final round of 68 and a total of five under 275. He won by three over Shingo Katayama and Ryoken (Ricky) Kawagishi. Kawagishi was runner up for the second time this season having been second at the Tsuruya Open last month. Katayama recorded the day’s best round improving from 11th to the share of second.
Chang joins Y.E. Yang, SK Ho and Yong Duck-Kim as Korean winners in Japan in recent seasons.
Daisuke Maruyama, who looked a likely challenger at one stage today, eventually finished 4th after his final round 67.
Australian Paul Sheehan was the best of the Australasians finishing in 7th position with Craig Jones completing another solid week when 20th, David Smail 28th, Chris Campbell 50th Brad Andrews 58th.
The Japan Golf Tour now heads to Sendai two hours by train north of Tokyo for the JCB Sendai Classic.
