Classy Tanihara wins Fujisankei Classic
BY Bruce Young | Japan Tour | 2007 Fujisankei Classic | Round Three | 02 Sep 2007
Hideto Tanihara today won the weather reduced Japan Golf Tour’s Fujisankei Classic after he completed his third and final round in 67 to win by three over Thai golfer Prayad Marksaeng.
The forced reduction came from a rain delayed second round and then with play unable to be completed on Saturday, round three was carried over to Sunday. There was no opportunity for round four to be played and so the event was reduced to 54 holes.
Tanihara, who was the joint second round leader with Marksaeng and Tomohiro Kondo, put the issue beyond any doubt with an eagle at the 17th today and in doing so won his fifth Japan Golf Tour event.
The 28-year-old Tanihara played on the USPGA Tour in 2005 is now back playing the Japan Golf tour on a full time basis. Tanihara surprised the golfing world in 2006 when he finished 5th at the Open Championship at Hoylake and is clearly one of Japan’s classiest players at present.
Masaya Tomida finished third while the leading Australasian was New Zealander David Smail who finished 8th.
Most of the large crowd was there to see the brilliant 15-year-old amateur Ryo Ishikawa, who was playing his first Japan Golf Tour event since winning the Munsingwear Open earlier this season. Ishikawa finished 15th after being in contention for much of the tournament. Ishikawa turns 16 in two weeks time and understandably is considered the hottest emerging talent in Japan.
Steve Conran continued his recent good form when 11th, Brendan Jones did well in his first event for nearly seven weeks when 15th, Craig Parry and Paul Sheehan were 32nd, while Wayne Perske and Scott Laycock finished 41st.
The Japan Golf Tour now heads north to the Suntory Open near Narita.
