The Asian Golf Thread

[Lefty-Golfer]

I love asians...the women are hot!!

[Kazuhiro]

I love asians...the women are hot!!

How constructive.

---------------------------------------------- This week in Asia: Japan Golf Tour: Bridgestone Open $1,850,000 Field Includes: Ryo Ishikawa, Yuta Ikeda, Jumbo Ozaki, Koumei Oda, Ryuichi Oda, Shingo Katayama, Kyung-Tae Kim(KOR), Brendan Jones(AUS), Shunsuke Sonoda, Toru Taniguchi, Hideto Tanihara, Tetsuji Hiratsuka, Hiroyuki Fujita, Sang-moon Bae(KOR)Daisuke Maruyama, Shigeki Maruyama, Prayad Marksaeng(THA), Katsumasa Miyamoto, You can't really put anything past Kim at the moment; he's probably the most inform gofler in the entire World right now, and after a stunning run this year of Top-10's in almost every event he has played, with many runner-up finishes, 2 wins including last week's Japan Open; Japan's biggest event. Kim is one of the favourite's to win again this week, along with usual favourites Ryo Ishikawa & Yuta Ikeda. Prayad Marksaeng could be on for a good finish this week, and Hideto Tanihara is threatening to win. Nothing from OneAsia & Asian Tour this week. Focuso in Japan.

[Kazuhiro]

Ozaki to captain Asia again:
Naomichi 'Joe' Ozaki, one of the three famed Ozaki brothers of Japan, with 35 titles to his name, is currently 23rd on this years Charles Schwab Champions Tour Cup, after a string of impressive finishes on the USA-based Tour this year.

The Royal Trophy is a pioneering team matchplay event between Europe & Asia played each year, founded & still organised by legend Seve Ballesteros, in a similar Ryder Cup format.

In 2006, the inaugural tournament was won by Ballesteros' Captained Europe tema, and he retained the cup in 2007. 2008 was cancelled due to the Thai Royal Family (Who help organise the event and donate the prize money) having a grievance with the Royal Majesty's Sister dying, however it returned in 2009, where Joe Ozaki's Asian Team surprisingly triumphed over Jose Maria OLazabal's Europe, in a shock 10-6 win. Colin Montgomerie' Europe regained the trophy in 2010 by the narrowest of margins on the very final putt of the tournament, with Henrik Stenson holing to beat Thongchai Jaidee.

Ozaki will captain his 4th Royal Trophy team for Asia, and is said to be out 'Out for revenge' over Europe and that he 'very, very wants to win back the Trophy'. The European Captain is likely to be announced in November, with the full 8-man teams announced in December ahead of January's event at Black Mountain Country Club in Hua Hin; a new destination for the Trophy.

[Uncle Lau]

Good read bro !!!

[Kazuhiro]

Just an update; in Bridgestone Open, Shingo Katayama is 2 shots clear heading into the final round, over Yuta Ikeda, Hiroyuki Fujita and Do-hoon Kim of Korea.

Shingo has not won for 2 years, at the 2008 VISA Taiheyo Masters and since his 4th place at the US Masters at Augusta in 2009, has done very little, although last year he finished 3rd at this event, his best result since his win, and he won Bridgestone in 2007, so he loves this event. The Bridgestone is known as the 'lively' event, with huge, popular galleries attending and a lively atmosphere, which someone like Shingo thrives on.

He has 26 wins on the Tour, having won the Money List 5 times, and a win this week will do much to his confidence. He shot a Course record 62 (-10) today to go to the lead.

Personally, hope he wins, was always my favourite golfer and still is, although his new 'porkpie' hat he sometimes wears isnt as good as the cowboy one he still wears sometimes.

But Yuta Ikeda on form, as is Fujita so either could win, theres loads of others not far back as well like Kyung-tae Kim, man of the moment.

[Kazuhiro]

Ikeda wins 3rd title of the year
Yuta Ikeda has won his 3rd title of 2010, and his 7th of his career (in 15 months) at the popular Bridgestone Open to end a highly dramatic week in Japan.
On Saturday, Shingo hit a fantastic course record -10, however Ikeda equalled that on Sunday again, and won by 3 shots on total -23 over another tour recent winner, Michio Matsumura. Meanwhile Korean Park Jae-bum came sole 3rd, with Shingo in sole 4th, after only managing a 70 on Day 4.
Order of Merit challenger Hiroyuki Fujita was 5th, while Kyung-tae Kim was T7th. Ishikawa had a horrid week until the final round where he hit a round of -8, ending -9 in total in Tied22nd.

Ikeda is now 4th on the Money List, just 3 million Yen behind Ishikawa, Ikeda is quickly making a name for himself, with 7 wins in 15 months on Tour - altohugh he has suggested is he looking to join the PGA Tour next year or year after, and so Japan could be losing a star.

Meanwhile, it was a highly dramatic week in Japan for all the wrong reasons; New Zealander and regular tour player David Smail attended his first event for several months after a huge Affair/Infidelity scandal that has been in the news here for months, after threats made by mistress to him and his family. He arrived with huge media scrums and he didn't sign up to the competition until the very last moment.

Although by the end of the week, it was Australian Wayne Perske who hit the headlines across the country, as he was arrested on Friday Night in Tokyo for carrying some cocaine drugs on him; a very serious offense in Japan. He missed the cut that day and wa sin a bar, and is still detained now. He been a member of the tour for many years, and won in 2006, and is likely to be kicked off the Tour.

This week, the Tour plays the $1,800,000 mynavi ABC Championship - the Tour's third and final stop in Hyogo Perfecture this year.

[Kazuhiro]

This week in Asia:
Asia Tour:
See 'CIMB Asia Pacific Classic' Thread/Topic in 'Tour Talk'. $6,000,000 PGA Tour co-sanctioned event.
Japan Tour:
Mynavi ABC Championship
$1,800,000
Field Includes: Yuta Ikeda, Ryo Ishikawa, Jumbo Ozaki, Ryuichi Oda, Koumei Oda, Shingo Katayama, Kyung-tae Kim(KOR), Toru Suzuki, Shunsuke Sonoda, Toru Taniguchi, Hideto Tanihara, Hiroyuki Fujita, Shigeki Maruyama, Daisuke Maruyama, Prayad Marksaeng(THA),
Defending: Toru Suzuki

[Uncle Lau]

Thanks for sharing bro !

[Kazuhiro]

Kim does it again!
Kim Kyung-tae of Korea has won on the Japan Golf Tour yet again, with his third win of the season, following the Diamond Cup and massive Open Championship victories. This time he wins at the $1,800,000 mynavi ABC Championship in Hyogo this week.

Kim was tied for the lead with Azuma Yano on -10 after 3 rounds, and shot a round of 3 under on Sunday to finish -13 and win by one shot over Ryo Ishikawa.

WGC-Bridgestone hero Katsumasa Miyamoto, Order of Merit challenger Toru Tanichu & also Tetsuya Haraguchi all finished T3rd on -11. Last years winner Toru Suzuki was T6, while overnight leader Yano stumbled to a 73, finishing T8 in the end. Yuta Ikeda was T20.

Stunning Kim is now one of the World's leading young prospects, at just 24, he has an incredible 21 Top-10's in his last 30 starts, including 3 Japan wins.

Kyung-tae Kim is now way clear at the top of the Order of Merit, some 40 Million Yen clear of Ishikawa in second, while Fujita, Ikeda & Taniguchi make the top 5.

[Kazuhiro]

Big week in Asia this week! The Singapore Open (Barclays) is the World's biggest national open in terms of prize money ($6,000,000) and features Mickelson, McDowell, Poulter, Kaymer etc this week on Asian Tour & European Tour. Meanwhile in Japan, the Taiheyo Master sis the first of 4 'season-ending' event sin Japan, huge prize funds and international players.

Asian Tour:
Barclays Singapore Open (European Tour co)
$6,000,000
Field Includes: Ian Poulter, Phil Mickelson, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Padraig Harrington, YE Yang, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Francesco Molinari, Thongchai Jaidee, Thaworn Wiratchant, Liang Wenchong, Jeev Milkha Singh, Siddikur, Tet Hiratsuka, Shigeki Maruyama, Adam Scott.

Japan Golf Tour:
Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheyo Masters
$2,000,000
Field Includes: Yuta Ikeda, Ryo Ishikawa, Ryuji Imada (PGA Tour), Jumbo Ozaki, Shingo Katayama, Kim Kyung-tae, Brendan Jones, Shunsuke Sonoda, Toru Taniguchi, Hiroyuki Fujita, Daisuke Maruyama.

- The Taiheyo Masters is a long-established tournament in Japan and kicks off 4 weeks of 'big tournaments'. Past Champions include Seve Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal, Greg Norman, Lee Westwood (3 years running), and Darren Clarke. However, due to the conflicting of events in Singapore & Australia, Ryuji Imada who is Japanese anyway, is about the only player from overseas (PGA Tour regular and winner) to be playing this week.

[Ben]

John Huh kicking butt in Singapore. Tied for 11th after the second round at the Barclays.

[michaeljames92]

Adam scott. hellofagolfer

[Kazuhiro]

John Huh kicking butt in Singapore. Tied for 11th after the second round at the Barclays.

Having a horrible final round, 7 over through 14. :( T59 now. Played very well first 3 rounds though.

Singapore Open was starting to be a fantastic final round, about 10 golfers within 3 shots of the lead at the start, but Adam Scott's playing wonderfully and pulling away now. Would like to see Kyung-nam Kang win, he was in lead earlier today, I've met him before!

[jgreen85]

Good for Adam Scott. Is that like his 3rd victory in 2010? I know he won in San Antonio; not a big tourney, but a win nonetheless. It seems like Greg Norman picking him for the President's Cup might have worked out for him in the long run.

[Kazuhiro]

Just to say also;

Ishikawa wins again!
Ryo Ishikawa picked up his 3rd Japan Victory of 2010, and his 9th career win, after landing the $2,000,000 VISA Taiheyo Masters, beating the fast finishing Brendan Jones from Australia, who was looking for his 2nd win of the year. He came in second on -12, 2 shots behind Ishikawa. US PGA Tour based Ryuji IMada finished 2 back on -10 in share for 3rd, with Toru Taniguchi and Katsumasa Miyamoto. Hiroyuki Fujita who joint led in round 3 finished T6.

The win makes Ishikawa within very close distance of Kyung-tae Kim, who leads the Money List. Kim finished 10th in this tournament. Only 2 events left!



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Also, this week is the huge week yet again in Asia; UBS Hong Kong Open European/Asian Tour, and also the marquee event of Japan - the Dunlop Phoenix. With winners like Tiger Woods, Ian Poulter, Padraig Harrington and last year Edoardo Molinari, many international players are in the field, including champion Edoardo Molinari, and Tom Watson who won here twice in 80's/90's, and even has his own golf course next to the Phoenix Country Club. Others include Robert Karlsson, Alvaro Quiros, Jaco Van Zyl, Robert Allenby and others, as well as the very best of Japan players in this $2,600,000 event.

[Uncle Lau]

Closed shaved for my hero !!!

http://blogs.golf.com/presstent/2010...pore-open.html

Truth & Rumors: Mickelson almost DQ’d in Singapore
Posted at 1:49 PM by Mike Walker | Categories: In-Kyung Kim, Phil Mickelson, Robert Garrigus, Scotty Cameron, Tiger Woods



Jim Furyk sleeping through his pro-am tee time at the Barclays remains golf’s knucklehead move of 2010, but Furyk got some late-season competition from Phil Mickelson, who left the Singapore Open in the middle of a weather delay Sunday and didn’t make it back in time for the re-start. Bernie McGuire of The Scottish Daily Record has the details:

There was a five-and-a-half hour delay after the storm hit just before noon [Sunday], flooding the Sentosa course and leading to an early finish for the final round.

Mickelson had played 11 holes and, knowing play would extend into today [Monday], the world No. 4 returned to his hotel room. He said: "I was under the impression play was going to resume at 7.30 in the morning so I left the course.

"I had to get myself a new hotel room, get my luggage off the plane and make sure my pilot was okay to stay another night.

"But when I got the message play was going to restart, I was lucky to have a driver who zipped his way back to the course.

"I ran on to the tee just as one of my playing partners had teed off. But the delay really didn't do me any harm as I went par, birdie. Not bad!

"I am just relieved I was not disqualified, so I am happy to accept the penalty."

Mickelson was penalized two strokes for being late but avoided disqualification because he arrived within 5 minutes of the restart.


Read more: http://blogs.golf.com/presstent/2010...#ixzz15PPQJpxs

[Uncle Lau]

[Kazuhiro]

I saw about the Mickelson incident Lau - seems like he got back to the course just in time! Nice photo too. :)