2007 UBS Japan Golf Tour Championship - Round 1: Takemoto's 63 leads, with Lin tied in second

The Asian Tour’s ’40-something’ brigade showed the way for their younger colleagues after day one of the UBS Japan Golf Tour Championship, with Lin Keng-chi and Frankie Minoza enjoying strong opening performances at one of the Japan Tour’s toughest courses.

Lin notched four birdies in an opening three-under 67 to share second after 18 holes, while Minoza recorded a one-under 69 to lie in equal 10th at the event considered the ‘players championship’ in Japan.

With only 17 players in red figures after round one on a relatively benign day at Shishido Hills, Naoya Takemoto leads the way after his seven-under 63. Japan’s Toru Taniguchi and Korea’s Lee Dong-hwan are in second four shots back – alongside Lin – after another humid day in Ibaraki Prefecture.

Amongst the rest of the Asian Tour contingent there were mixed fortunes. Zhang Lian-wei, returning to the Japan Tour for the first time in two years as a sponsors’ invitation from UBS, recorded a fine two-under 68, while Prayad Marksaeng shot 70 and SK Ho returned 71.

Enduring tougher days were Prom Meesawat (73), Chawalit Plaphol (74), Gaurav Ghei (75), Thammanoon Srirot (77) and Yeh Wei-tze (79).

The 47-year-old Minoza, who won the Philippines Open earlier in the year, opened in fine fashion when he fired a wedge shot to 10 feet for a birdie at the first hole. Another birdie followed at the 11th, this time when he hit a nine-iron to just one foot. His only bogey came at the long par-four 17th, regularly ranked as the toughest hole on the course.

Minoza, who finished tied for 15th here last year and was also 15th at last month’s Japan PGA Championship, said: “It was a good start and I am very happy to be one-under on a day like today. The rough is nasty out there and you have to hit the fairway with your tee shot, because the rough is so tough that you will easily make a bogey if you go in there.”

For Minoza, mastering all aspects of the game is the secret to success. “If you can hit the fairways, you normally only hit short irons into the greens. The key is that you have to hit the fairway with your tee shot, but you must also make your putts as well! I putted very well today. The greens were in perfect condition.

“I am going to work a little bit this afternoon, a little on my driving and a little bit on my putting and hopefully I can play like this up until Sunday.”

Lin, meanwhile, was more than happy with his day’s work as well. “I feel very good about today and am looking forward to tomorrow. I am not sure how I will play, but I will try and work even harder.

“My whole game was very solid today – my driving, my putting, my chipping and I am looking forward to try and play as well tomorrow. “

The UBS Japan Golf Tour Championship is being played over the par 70, 7,214-yard West Course at Shishido Hills Country Club, located about 100 kilometres northeast of Tokyo, and offers a prize purse of ¥150 million (about AUD$1.5 million).

Defending champion Tatsuhiko Takahashi finished on 74 to be placed in equal 81st position after day one.

Leading first round scores (click here for full leaderboard):

1 Naoya TAKEMOTO 63 -7
2 Toru TANIGUCHI 67 -3
2 Dong-Hwan LEE 67 -3
2 Keng-Chi LIN 67 -3
5 Scott LAYCOCK 68 -2
5 I J CHANG 68 -2
5 Nobuhito SATO 68 -2
5 Lian-Wei ZHANG 68 -2
5 Norio SHINOZAKI 68 -2
10 Frankie MINOZA 69 -1
10 Seung-Ho LEE 69 -1
10 Kazuhiko HOSOKAWA 69 -1
10 Shingo KATAYAMA 69 -1
10 Makoto INOUE 69 -1
10 Hiroshi IWATA 69 -1
10 Daisuke SHIRAISHI 69 -1

June 28, 2007

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