Dong-Hwan Lee confirms promise at Mizuno
IN: News | Japan | Mizuno Open (2007) | Round Four | by Bruce Young | 24 Jun 2007
20-year-old Korean, Dong-Hwan Lee, who is in just his second season on the Japan Golf Tour, has achieved what most expected was just a matter of time, tournament win on the Japan Golf Tour. Lee’s victory now takes him to the top of the Japan Golf Tour money list for 2007 and if there was ever a Korean golfer to follow in the footsteps of the likes of K.J. Choi, Lee could well be that player.
It might be a little disappointing that the win would come in a rain shortened event, but the hugely talented Lee is probably caring less right now as he contemplates not only his first win on the Japan Golf Tour but the chance to play the British Open at Carnoustie in one month’s time. The Gateway to the Open Mizuno Open Yomiuri Classic is so named as it allows the top four players in this event access to the Open Championship and so is effectively the Japan Golf Tour’s qualifying for the Open Championship.
Lee was afforded the luxury of not even having to play today’s final round as weather brought a halt to play after he had played just five holes of his final round and with third round scores being used to determine the winner, Lee won by four shots over Hideto Tanihara, Toshinori Muto, Achi Sato, Seung Ho Lee, Keng-Chi Lin and Masaya Tomido. At his tender age, Lee looks an outstanding prospect in not only Japanese golf, but world golf generally.
Hideto Tanihara’s final round (third round) of 64 was punctuated by an eagle at the 16th but added only to his wallet rather than his trophy cabinet as he finished four shots back.
The best of the Australians was Brendan Jones who finished in a share of 10th, adding further to what has been a brilliant first half of the season. Steve Conran was 13th, Scott Laycock 31st, David Smail was 24th while Chris Campbell was 46th.
The Japan Golf Tour now heads to Ibaraki Prefecture near Tokyo for this week’s Japan Golf Championship
