Ho back to winning ways at Tsurya Open
BY Bruce Young | Japan Tour | 2008 Tsuruya Open | Round Four | 27 Apr 2008
34-year-old Korean, S.K. Ho, won his seventh Japan Golf Tour event today and his first in nearly two years when he came from one behind the overnight leader Hiroshi Iwata to win the Tsuruya Open by one shot over fellow Korean, Kyung Tae-Kim.
Iwata appeared to have the tournament to himself when he moved well clear with birdies at the 15th and 16th holes but the 27-year-old, who is yet to win on the Japan Golf Tour, double bogeyed the last two holes, and allowed both Ho and Kim to pass him.
For 21-year-old Kim this was further evidence of the talent this young man possesses. The 2006 Japan Amateur Champion and Golf Medallist at the 2006 Asian Games, won at his second start as a professional at last year’s Maekyung Open on the Asian Tour and appears destined for a highly successful career in the game.
Iwata finished alone in third while for Australian Brendan Jones, looking to win this event for the fourth consecutive occasion, he staged a remarkable late charge picking up five shots in his last four holes to finish in a share of fourth.
Jones had moved within striking distance of the leader, Iwata, after birdies at the 3rd, 6th and 8th holes but three putted the 9th, took bogey with only a gap wedge into the 10th, then dropped further shots at the 11th and 12th holes to slip to 3 under and at that point was a massive ten shots behind the leader, Iwata and eight shots behind the eventual winner, Ho. Then came Jones’ late surge to get within four of Ho.
David Smail was the next best Australasian, finishing in 18th position, while Craig Parry was 32nd.
The Japan Golf Tour now heads north to Nagoya for this week’s Crowns tournament.
