Liang Wen Chon, Hidemasa Hoshin and Sushi Ishigaki tied for top slot in opening round of Totoumi Hamamatsu Open
Japanese and Chinese golfers are pitched in tight battle to the win the Japan Tour’s inaugural event the Totoumi Hamamatsu Open in Shizuoka Prefecture as three players are tied for the top slot at halfway mark of the event. China’s Liang Wen Chong and Japan’s
Hidemasa Hoshino and Sushi Ishigaki, all scored brilliantly for the second day to finish 11-under on the aggregate and lead the rest of the field by one shot. Trailing the leaders are Taigen Tsumagari and Azuma Yano with an aggregate of 10-under.
Further down the leaderboard, two shots behind the leaders, are the Aussie Paul Sheehan and New Zealand’s David Smail. Both the Australasian players are tied for the sixth spot. 2011 money leader Brendan Jones is further down the leaderboard, joined by the
Japan Tour rookie Sydney’s Neil Sarkies.
China’s Liang is one of the rare breed of players to have come out from mainland China and has missed only one cut in his 19 months of worldwide appearances. His second round of 66, speaks volumes of his fine form. Liang hardly ever appears to play at the
Japan Tour and it would not come as a surprise if he runs away with the title.
Ishigaki, although has been playing on the tour for the last ten years, has yet to win a tournament on the tour while Hoshino is looking for his fourth title on the tour.
Meanwhile, Smail is rediscovering his form after a disastrous year when he battered with his form through the whole year. His opening round of 64 had greater share of his present position as his second round of 71 barely contributed to further consolidate
his position.
Ryo Ishikawa, the Japanese golf sensation, is tied for the 11th with back to back scores of four-under, 64 in both the rounds. Ishikawa will have to finish on top on the final day to be able to qualify for next month’s US open. He finished tied
for 12th in his last venture in the Japan Tour and is currently at 53rd in World ranking. Japan Tour has the least PGA Tour points and Ishikawa will have to finish at the top to bag maximum points to break into the Top 50 in the world
rankings.
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