Ikeda wins Sun Chlorella - Barnes 4th
BY Bruce Young | Japan Tour | 2011 Sun Chlorella Classic | Wrap | 31 Jul 2011
Yuta Ikeda might have lived somewhat in the shadow of Ryo Ishikawa in the past three years on the Japan Golf Tour but a close look at the statistics reveal that the difference between them has really only been in terms of profile.
Today Ikeda won his 9th Japan Golf Tour title in less than two years and in fact now he and Ishikawa both have nine Japan Tour career titles to their credit.
Ikeda has moved into the second position on the Japan Golf Tour money list behind Kim Kyung-tae and ahead of Ishikawa.
The 25 year old, in just his third full season on the Japan Golf Tour, was forced to birdie his final two holes after he and Testsuji Hiratsuka had fought tooth and nail over the closing nine holes.
Hiratsuka appeared to have blown his chances when he triple bogeyed the 4th after a birdie at the 3rd had seen him draw level with his playing partner. Ikeda birdied as Hiratsuka was stumbling and the difference was all of a sudden four shots.
Ikeda led by three through 12 holes but then began to drop shots and through 15 holes the pair was tied. Both players bogeyed the 16th but Ikeda birdied the final two holes while Hiratsuka parred the 17th then birdied the final hole to finish one behind.
American Jay Choi finished alone in third position while Korean Dong-Hwan Lee finished in a share of 4th position with Australian Kurt Barnes.
Barnes was playing in just his second Japan Golf Tour event in 2011 after starting the season with all but no status. He finished 7th at the Crowns Tournament and now this share of 4th and the accompanying ¥6,600,000 ($A76,000) moves him to 42nd on the Japan Tour money list for 2011 and should assure him of further starts this season.
A bogey at the last proved costly for Barnes but he will be nonetheless happy with the manner in which he has taken advantage of his start this week.
Barnes also won on the One Asia Tour in May so it has been an encouraging and turnaround season for the 30 year old from the Hunter Valley.
Of the other Australasians David Smail was 7th, Steve Conran 15th, Paul Sheehan 25th, Neil Sarkies 50th and Richard Lee 69th.
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