Asia and Japan Tours combine in Kyoto
BY Bruce Young | Japan Tour | 2009 Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open | Preview | 23 Sep 2009
The Japan Golf Tour and the Asian Golf Tour join forces this week for the Asia Pacific Panasonic Open in Kyoto with the opportunity for many non-regulars on the Japan Golf Tour to sample the way things are done in Japan.
The event has been played only once previously when won by Hideto Tanihara at the Ibaraki Country Club east of Tokyo in 2008.
Japan’s superstar Ryo Ishikawa is in the field, seeking his fourth win of the season in Japan. Ishikawa turned 18 just last week two weeks after being selected by Greg Norman as a Captain’s pick for the international Presidents Cup Team.
In the absence of Thongchai Jaidee, Anthony Kang is the leading Asian Tour player in this week’s field based on the 2009 money list. Kang trails Jaidee by nearly US$500,000, his win at the Malaysian Open the mainstay in his season.
The Australasian presence is strong as a result of the co-sanctioning with the Asian Tour where many of them ply their trade. Matt Griffin, Paul Sheehan, David Gleeson, Mitchell Brown, Scott Hend, Marcus Both, Michael Wright, Rick Kulacz, Adam Groom, Kane Webber, Steve Conran, David Smail, Tony Carolan, Andrew Dodt, Scott Barr, Gavin Flint, Darren Beck, Terry Pilkadaris and Adam Blyth all in the field.
For many this is their first chance to play a Japan Tour event and it offers a great opportunity to open up other options for them in their careers.
