Kuboya wins back-to-back on Japan Tour
IN: News | Japan | Munsingwear Open KSB Cup (2002) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 27 May 2002
Well I mentioned last week that Kenichi Kuboya had struggled to get across the line since his standout year in 1997. He has overcome that problem in the most emphatic fashion by winning his second consecutive event on the Japan Tour following his win in the PGA Championship only seven days ago. Kuboya now goes to the top of the Japan money list.
Kuboya started the last round one behind the American Dean Wilson and after a triple bogey on the fifth was probably feeling his chance had disappeared. He was able however to regather and a last hole eagle got him into the playoff where he beat Todd Hamilton and Yoshimitsu Fukuzawa.
Fukuzawa had missed an excellent opportunity to birdie the par five last, which would have given him victory, as did the fourth placed Korean Jong-Duck Kim who missed the playoff by a shot.
Wilson who had led into the last round self-destructed with a front nine 41 which included a quadruple bogey on the ninth and it was left to several others to chase those that made the playoff.
Leading Australian was Brendan Jones who finished 35th, Anthony Gilligan was 46th and New Zealander Richard Lee in his first start in Japan this year was 57th.
At the completion of this event Scott Laycock, currently playing in the US, is the leading Australian on the money list in 7th place with $A308,000, Steve Conran 49th, David Smail 50th, Brendan Jones 53rd and Anthony Gilligan 55th.
