Laycock top Aussie at UBS Japan Tour Championship
BY Damien McDowell | Japan Tour | 2007 UBS Japan Golf Tour Championship | Round One | 28 Jun 2007
Playing a course in which he has continually performed with distinction in recent years, Scott Laycock once again leads the way for the Australian players after an opening two-under 68 of the UBS Japan Golf Tour Championship outside Tokyo.
The 35-year-old Layock, who won the 2002 Bridgestone Open in Japan, opened in style when he rifled a wedge to two feet for a birdie at the first hole. Another birdie came at the 15th, this time when he almost holed his wedge from the fairway, in a bogey-free round at one of the toughest courses in Japan.
Layock, who has finished in the top 20 in each of the last three years here, including equal fifth in 2003, clearly relishes the challenge. “I like this golf course and I have played well every year here. I enjoy golf courses where par is your friend. I am not renowned for my super low scoring, so this course suits me down to the ground.”
“Geoff Ogilvy said last year that he was more patient at the US Open at the stronger and tougher golf courses, because you know you have to stay patient. If you hit a bad shot, you just take your medicine and get on with it. It is certainly the case here, more so than any other course we play in Japan,” he added.
On a day when only 17 players broke par at Shishido Hills, Naoya Takemoto leads the way after a notching seven birdies in a bogey-free 63. Three players – Japan’s Toru Taniguchi, Chinese Taipei’s Lin Keng-chi and Korea’s Lee Dong-hwan – share second four shots in arrears.
Defending champion Tatsuhiko Takahashi finished on 74 to be placed in equal 81st position after day one.
For the rest of the Australian contingent, it was a day of mixed fortunes at the tournament considered the ‘players championship’ of the Japanese men’s game.
Brendan Jones, currently third on the Japanese money list after his victory at April’s Tsuruya Open, recorded an even-par 70 to be equal 17th, while Craig Parry shot 73, Steven Conran and Wayne Perske finished on 75 and Chris Campbell had 79.
Laycock, who also won the 2001 Victorian Open, feels it was his experience at the course that helped out today.
“I have played this course well in the past. They have toughened it up again this year, so you just have to take the birdies when you can and try and get a couple more. Everyone hates to go around without a birdie, so it is nice to get one of the first hole.”
The last hole, when Laycock made an excellent par after finding a fairway bunker off the tee was a good example of how to prosper here. “Like I did, if you are going to miss the fairway you try to hit it in the bunker, because at least you can hit the green from there. You just have to drive the ball well and accept what the course gives you more so than any other course (in Japan).
The UBS Japan Golf Tour Championship is being played over the par 70, 7,214-yard West Course at Shishido Hills Country Club, located about 100 kilometres northeast of Tokyo, and offers a prize purse of ¥150 million (about AUD$1.5 million).
