Fujita bounces back for Beijing win
BY Bruce Young | Asian Tour | 2008 Pine Valley Beijing Open | Round Four | 11 May 2008
Japan’s Hiroyuki Fujita bounced back from the disappointment of a playoff loss at last week’s Crown’s tournament in Nagoya to easily win the Pine Valley Beijing Open at the Jack Nicklaus designed Pine Valley Golf Club on the outskirts of Beijing in China.
Fujita lost last week’s event at the second extra hole to Tomohiro Kondo but after a second round of 65 at this week’s event, co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour, the 38-year-old led throughout and actually was ahead by six entering today’s final round.
Fujita struggled earlier in the day but he put together a solid back nine of 1 under 35 and his round of 72 was good enough for him to cruise to a three shot victory over Shintaro Kai.
It was Fujita’s sixth career victory on the Japan Golf Tour while for 26-year-old Kai, who is in just his second full season on the Japan Golf Tour, it is by far his best finish.
Fujita now moves to the top of the 2008 Japan Golf Tour money list ahead of Tomohiro Kondo who won last week’s Crowns. New Zealander Mark Brown is still a clear leader on the Asian Golf Tour’s money list.
Fiji’s Dinesh Chand finished third after a final round of 69 giving Japan Golf Tour players the top three positions in the event.
The best of the Australians was Tony Carolan who tied for fourth place with Shinichi Yokota and Nobuhiro Masuda.
South Australian, Gary Simpson finished 11th, Queenslanders Gavin Flint and Scot Hend were 13th, Kane Webber 21st, Unho Park 35th, Marcus Both 57th and Ben Burge 66th.
This week, the Japan Golf Tour plays their PGA Championship while the Asian Tour has a break of four weeks before the Bangkok Airways Open on the beautiful island of Kho Samui.
