Ho wins, Perske third in Japan
BY Bruce Young | Japan Tour | 2008 The Championship by Lexus | Round Four | 09 Nov 2008
Korea’s S.K. Ho has become the inaugural winner of the Championship by Lexus at the Otone Golf Club in Ibaraki, maintaining his five shot 54 hole lead to overcome Kiyoshi Miyazato with Australians Wayne Perske and American Brandt Jobe in third position.
It was the 35-year-old’s eighth victory on the Japan Golf Tour and his second win of the 2008 season.
The third placed Jobe was a regular on the Japan Golf Tour earlier in his career before joining the PGA Tour and won six events during his time there. He played his first event in Japan in four years at last week’s ABC and after an opening round of 64 this week, remained in the hunt all week.
Perkse has battled for much of this season and was in jeopardy of losing his status in Japan before this week’s event. The ￥11,600,000 ($A175,000) Perske earned for his third place finish moves him to 64th on the money list and although he has work to do, he has made a huge move.
New Zealander, David Smail, was 8th, Steve Conran and Eddie Lee 13th, Craig Parry 25th, Brendan Jones 30th, Scott Laycock 44th and Chris Campbell 50th.
Conran was in outright second position heading into the final round but fell away with a round of 77. New Zealander, Lee, moved to 57th on the money list and may now be assured of retaining his status for next season.
The Japan Golf Tour now moves to Gotemba for this week’s Mitsui Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo tournament.
