KBC Augusta win Teshima's first in three years

BY Bruce Young | Japan Tour | 2006 Under Armour KBC Augusta | Wrap | 27 Aug 2006

Taichi Teshima today won his fourth Japan Golf Tour title when he continued on from his third round of 65 by adding a final round of 66 at the Under Armour KBC Championship in Fukuoka, southern Japan, to win by one shot over leading Japan Golf Tour money winner in 2006, Tetsuji Hiratsuka.

As the final round began, seven players were within two shots of the lead but as Teshima, who was playing in the final group, reached the 72nd hole he knew that par would be good enough to avoid a playoff with Hiratsuka who had finished ten minutes earlier.

The 37-year-old was able to do just and went on to win his first event in more than three years. To be fair to Teshima however, he has been a consistent placegetter in that time. Nobuhiro Masuda finished two shots behind Hiratsuka and alone in third place.

The best of the Australians in the field was Brisbane golfer Wayne Perske, who staged a late rally when he birdied the final two holes to finish 11th. Perske continues his best season as a professional golfer and now finds himself in 16th place on the Japan Golf Tour money list with ¥30,420,000 (A$340,000)

Craig Parry, who was competing in his first Japan Golf Tour event of the year, played his last nine holes in 32 to finish 15th, Craig Jones was 23rd, Steve Conran 34th and Chris Campbell 56th.

The Japan Golf Tour now heads to the Yamanashi Prefecture for the Fujisankei Classic.