Sato beats Laycock in playoff
BY iseekgolf.com | Japan Tour | 2002 Fujisankei Classic | Wrap | 13 May 2002
What a dramatic finish on what could in many ways be described as a dramatic golf course. I’ve caddied here in this event held some two hours south of Tokyo on a piece of land that most golf course architects would die for. The golf course is not quite as good as the land but often gets a mention in the worlds top 100 courses due more to its spectacular location looking out over the ocean than its quality a as golf course.
For Scott Laycock however his focus was no doubt on the playoff that he got himself into and lost against Nobuhito Sato. Laycock has played in Japan the last three years with much success financially. Last year he was twice second, and although not winning accumulated earnings of some $A900,000. He returned to Australia and put together a series of good finishes on the Australasian Tour including his second at the Australian Open and another close call in Sydney tying for second behind Richard Johnson.
He was a disappointed man at The Clearwater Classic as he missed the cut when a good finish could have given him a top two on the Australasian Tour money list, which would have secured him a spot in the US Open. To his credit he has bounced back and he is arguably the most improved Australian player over the past eighteen months or so;. arguably because it is hard to dispute what Adam Scott has done.
Starting the last round four behind the third round leader Nobuhito Sato, Laycock went out in 30 with five birdies and then reeled off eight straight pars until reaching the par four eighteenth. At that stage it looked as if it would be between he and American Greg Meyer as both were locked at 9 under one ahead of the field. Laycock bogied the last and, in a finish that he will have nightmares about forever I would think, Meyer doubled seventeen and bogied eighteen to fall from outright first to a tie for fifth. This for a man who has not finished better than third in some thirteen years on the Japan Tour ;ooucccchhh. A playoff was necessary to decide the winner and Sato was able to take it out over Laycock.
The consolation for Laycock however was a cheque for $A200,000 in one of the more lucrative early season events. Sato, who has been one of the dominant players in Japan in recent years winning four times in 2000 alone, won $A350,000. Laycock now moves to number six on the Japan Tour money list with some $A308,000. Taniguchi leads from Sato in second place.
Craig Warren was 11th in his best finish since regaining his card, Brendan Jones 48th and David Smail 56th.
