Fujisankei Classic somehow finds winner
BY Bruce Young | Japan Tour | 2011 Fujisankei Classic | Wrap | 04 Sep 2011
The impact of Typhoon Talas has taken its toll on much of the central, west and south of Japan this past week and the Japan Golf Tour’s Fujisankei Classic was one of the many events to suffer from the impact of the deluge and storms of the last four days.
The tournament has been completed however and a winner has been found but with the event reduced to just 36 holes then only 50% of the original prize-money pool will count towards the 2011 money list.
When 26 year old Masatsugu Morofuji began this event with a double bogey then a bogey in his opening two holes on Friday surely his first victory on the Japan Golf Tour would have been just a pipedream.
Roll forward three days and that dream has come true after he battled back from his slow start to lead after round one then today extended his opening round two shot lead to three with a second round of 69 to win by three over Singaporean Mardan Mamat.
Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Japan’s Koumei Oda shared third position one shot further back.
The pair who finished in a playoff for the title twelve months ago, Ryo Ishikawa and Shunsuke Sonoda, finished in a tie for 5th.
The opening round of the event was not even completed until Saturday afternoon and with the size of the pre cut field precluding any chance of 36 holes today then there was only one option – namely to convert the event to a 36 hole tournament.
Brad Kennedy finished as the leading Australian in 11th position, while New Zealander Richard Lee was the next best from this part of the world when he finished 23rd.
Kennedy is now the second highest earning Australasian on the Japan Golf Tour this year behind Brendan Jones who withdrew from this week’s event after the opening round.
The Japan Golf Tour now plays the Toshin Golf Tournament in Mie Prefecture provided there has been not too much damage there.
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