Timely win for golf in Japan at EMC World Cup

BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2002 World Cup | Wrap | 16 Dec 2002

When Japan won the World Cup in their home country in 1957, it gave golf in that country a boost that would lead to phenomenal growth over the next forty years. Torakichci Nakamura and Koichi Ono were heralded as sporting heroes and were very much instrumental in ensuring that the popularity of golf in Japan would rival the likes of Sumo Wrestling and Baseball.

The victory by Shigeki Maruyama and Toshi Izawa may not necessarily have quite the same impact but it will once again give the game in Japan a significant and perhaps timely boost. No Japanese has ever won a major and so anytime their world class golfers can compete with, and beat the best in the world, it provides a huge lift for the sport and the Japanese society in general.

It is true that the victory in 1957 came at a time when there were virtually no Japanese competing internationally. Now, however, Mayuyama, Izawa, Toru Taniguchi, Shingo Katayama, Kaname Yokoo and others are following in the footsteps so bravely walked by Isao Aoki and for a Japanese to win internationally is not quite the feat that it would have been considered previously. This win against such strong competition will, however, provide a huge boost, not only for golf in Japan but for the Japan PGA Tour and golf in Asia generally, especially at a time when the Japan PGA Tour has lost a couple of key events lately.

They set up the win with a mind boggling 58 in the fourball on Saturday, which admittedly was bettered by the 57 of the United States, but allowed the Japan team to enter Sunday with a one shot lead over Fiji, by two over South Africa and by three over the United States. The USA came out where they left off on Saturday and at six under through eight holes in the foursomes they were looking to take all before them. Through nine holes they had closed to within one and when the Japanese double bogied the hole they had eagled twenty-four hours earlier (the thirteenth), the Americans hit the lead for the first time in the event. Most would have then predicted a victory to Mickelson and Toms but the Japanese were not to be denied what would be a famous victory.

Japan birdied the sixteenth and seventeenth to draw level and with the Americans self destructing with a double bogey at the eighteenth, they (Japan) then had the luxury of playing the last with a two shot lead.

Fiji who had so valiantly contested the lead throughout faded at the last hurdle with a disastrous run including two double bogies and two bogies in the last six holes to fall from third to tenth.

Korea and England tied for third four shots behind the second placed USA, with South Africa fifth and the Australian and Argentinian teams sharing sixth. Australia earns $US95,000 between Adam Scott and Craig Parry.

New Zealand were tied in 17th place and will earn around $US35,000 to be shared amongst Michael Campbell and Craig Perks.

Once again the event has shown that the new format is a success. It offers lesser nations, with perhaps better team synergy, a chance to compete with, and beat, the giants of the game. The roller coaster rides that are being witnessed in the revised competition make for great viewing and the next World Cup at Kiawah Island in November of 2003 cannot come quick enough.

Final Round Scoreboard
1 -36 Japan (64-64-58-66)
2 -34 United States (65-67-57-65)
T3 -30 Korea (61-67-64-66)
T3 -30 England (65-63-62-68)
5 -29 South Africa (62-64-62-71)
T6 -28 Argentina (64-68-62-66) T6 -28 Australia (60-67-65-68)
T8 -27 Ireland (64-67-62-68)
T8 -27 Canada (59-67-64-71)
10 -26 Fiji (63-62-62-75)
11 -25 Denmark (63-70-62-68)
T12 -23 Wales (63-68-65-69)
T12 -23 Scotland (63-65-62-75)
T14 -22 Sweden (62-71-64-69)
T14 -22 Switzerland (63-67-65-71)
16 -20 Myanmar (66-66-64-72) T17 -18 New Zealand (65-73-64-68)
T17 -18 Singapore (70-65-65-70)
T17 -18 France (61-72-64-73)
T17 -18 Trinidad-Tobago (63-66-64-77)
21 -17 Germany (67-69-64-71)
22 -14 Venezuela (66-67-72-69)
T23 -11 Mexico (68-72-66-71)
T23 -11 Colombia (66-68-69-74)