Smail completes great week for New Zealand golf
IN: News | Japan | Japan Open (2002) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 20 Oct 2002
Less than seven days after the brilliant win by Phil Tataurangi in Las Vegas last week, thirty two year old David Smail has taken out his first win in Japan with an emphatic four shot win in the Japan Open
Starting the last day tied for the lead with South Korean Jong-Duck Kim, Smail's opening hole birdie was not exactly the start he was looking for but he quickly bounced back with three birdies in the next four holes and when he reached the turn he had opened up a one shot lead over Katsuya Nakagawa. He further increased that lead with birdies at the tenth and fifteenth to seal the deal on a golf course where only seven players were under par for the event.
The win by four shots over Kim and by five over Katsunori Kuwabara and Nakagawa takes Smail inside the top ten on the money list with earnings for the season of 50,000,000 yen, this week's cheque worth 24,000,000 or $NZ375,000.
Smail has been playing the Japan Tour since 1997 and although he has had several close calls this is his first win. With Perks winning the TPC in the US, Tataurangi the Las Vegas event, Michael Campbell the European Open, Eddie Lee winning on the Asian PGA Tour and now this win by Smail it has been quite a year for New Zealand golf.
Scott Laycock was forty fifth.
