Japan Tour back to business in Fukuoka
IN: News | Japan | KBC Augusta (2008) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 27 Aug 2008
After a three week break, the Japan Golf Tour returns this week at the Vana H Cup KBC Augusta at the Keya Golf Club in Fukuoka in southern Japan. Fukuoka sits at the north of the island of Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands, the city playing host to this event for more than twenty years.
With 13 near full field events and the restricted Golf Nippon Series remaining on the 2008 Japan Golf Tour, there is plenty of money available in the remaining three months of the season. Six of the events are worth ¥200 million (A$2 million).
Leading the money list at present, for events played in Japan only, is the prolific title winner Shingo Katayama. 35-year-old Katayama, who has won 24 Japan Golf Tour career titles, is just ahead of Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng this season, with Hideto Tanihara in third place. Marksaeng has won twice this season and has also played well on the Asian Tour where he sits in 12th position on that money list.
The best of the Australasians in Japan this season is Brendan Jones in 11th place with $A320,000. Jones will not return to the Japan Golf Tour until the Asia Pacific Panasonic Open in late September.
Jones played at the Open Championship, the Bridgestone Invitational and the PGA Championship and has not played an event in Japan since finishing runner up in the Japan Golf Tour Championship early July.
David Smail is next best in 14th position with earnings of $280,000. Steve Conran, in 19th position, is the only other Australasian in the top 50.
The defending champion this week is Katsumasa Miyamoto, who defeated Koumei Oda and Steve Conran by one shot last year. Katayama and Marksaeng, the leading money winners are also in the field.
Steve Conran, Craig Parry, Paul Sheehan, Craig Jones, Ryan Haller, Wayne Perske, Scott Laycock, Benjamin Burge, Chris Campbell and Eddie Lee make up the Australasian contingent. It will be interesting to see how Craig Jones backs up after firing a 59 in a Pro Am event at the par 72 Horton Park Golf Club in Queensland.
