Miyase goes one better at 2007 Crowns
IN: News | Japan | The Crowns (2007) | by Bruce Young | 29 Apr 2007
36-year-old, Hirofume Miyase, continued his stunning early season form on the Japan Golf Tour when he today won the Crowns tournament in Nagoya after a playoff against Toru Taniguchi.
Last week, in his first event of the 2007 Japan Golf Tour season, Miyase finished runner up to Brendan Jones at the Tsuruya Open after leading the tournament for much of the week. This week at the time honoured and prestigious Crowns event at the Nagoya Golf Club’s Wago layout, Miyase shared a four shot lead with Keiichiro Fukabori entering the final round but was forced to hold off a strong final day challenge from Taniguchi. Taniguchi produced a final round 67 to all but claim what would have been his 12th JGT victory.
Both players have won often on the Japan Golf Tour and today, after a front nine of four under par 31, Taniguchi had caught Miyase. Taniguchi dropped a shot at the 10th hole which allowed Miyase to move ahead again but although Miyase birdied the long par five 15th, he dropped shots at the par three 13th and 17th holes to provide Taniguchi with one last chance.
Taniguchi was playing in the group ahead of Miyase and was able to make a par at the dangerous last hole and then waited as Miyase did the same to enter a playoff. They had finished two shots clear of Koumei Oda, while joint third round leader, Fukabori, fell victim to a final round 74 and finished 4th.
For Miyase this was his 8th Japan Golf Tour victory and he now moves ahead of Yui Ueda and Brendan Jones on the Japan Golf Tour money list for 2007.
The best of the Australasians at the Crowns was New Zealander, David Smail, who finished in a share of 5th, Scott Laycock was 9th, Brendan Jones 14th, Paul Sheehan 20th, Steve Conran 40th and Craig Parry 51st.
The Japan Golf Tour now has a one week break before the Japan PGA Championship in Okinawa starting on May 10th.
