FUJITA LEADS PANASONIC OPEN IN JAPAN

NEWS RELEASE FROM ASIAN TOUR

Hyogo, Japan: Home favourite Hiroyuki Fujita took the second round lead at the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open on Friday but has reigning Asian Tour number one Juvic Pagunsan in hot pursuit.

Fujita, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, carded a three-under-par 68 for a one-shot lead over Pagunsan, who birdied the last three holes for 66. 

Darren Beck of Australia and Koumei Oda of Japan are also tied second at the Higashi Hirono Golf Club.

India’s Shiv Kapur battled through fatigue and jetlag for 68 and was three shots off the pace followed by Asian Tour rookie David Lipsky (64) of the United States and Japanese stalwart Ryo Ishikawa (65), who were a further shot back.

Overnight leader Yuta Ikeda, who shot an opening round 62, slipped back with a 76 for tied 24^th place with Jeev Milkha Singh of India and Thai duo Prayad Marksaeng and Chinnarat Phadungsil at the 150 million Yen (approximately US$1.9 million) event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour.

Veteran golfer Fujita is aiming for a fourth victory in Japan this week and fuelled his ambitions when he birdied the last hole for a 10-under-par 132 total.

“My putter went cold on the back nine and I couldn’t score. It was quite disappointing but this is just the second day and we do not know how it will turn out in the end. The course set up might get tougher in the last two days so I hope I can continue shooting in the 60s,” said the 46-year-old, who won in Japan last week.

“Last week’s win has boosted my confidence but like I said, it is still early in the tournament and there are many good players behind me,” Fujita added.

The sweet-swinging Pagunsan got off with a bogey, birdie and bogey start but steadied ship with six further birdies including a missed eagle opportunity from 25 feet on the 18^th hole.

“My approach shot landed on a slope (18^th) and the ball could have rolled into the water but it went towards the green instead. I had a chance for eagle but settled for an easy birdie instead. I’ll take that,” said Pagunsan, who finished second at the Queen’s Cup in Thailand on the Asian Tour in June.

Despite playing some of his best golf this week, Pagunsan played down his chances of ending a five-year title drought on the Asian Tour.

“I’ve been hitting the ball good so hopefully I can hang in there. I’m always waiting for my chance on the last day. I don’t want to get ahead of myself and think that I can win yet,” said the 34-year-old, who won the Order of Merit last season courtesy of a runner-up finish at the lucrative Barclays Singapore Open.

Australia’s Beck has not enjoyed the best of results on the Asian Tour since his triumph at the 2009 Brunei Open but he is beginning to hit top form again after taking yoga lessons.

“It has been a long time! It is a good feeling especially when you get two good rounds. I put a bit of pressure on myself and it go to me a little bit (after winning in 2009),” said Beck, who shot a sizzling 65 courtesy of a 105-yard chip-in eagle-two on hole 15.

“I’ve doing a lot of yoga even on the road and that has made my body feel comfortable. My body is not sore and it has helped. I’ve been doing yoga for about a year. Previously, my body used to get sore when I play a couple of rounds so I’m making sure I do a lot of stretching and keep my body in good shape,” he added.

India’s Kapur, who has won once the Asian Tour, struggled with the effects of jetlag as he arrived from Italy on Tuesday night and was delighted to be in contention without playing his best golf.

“I didn’t have my ‘A-Game’. It was probably a ‘B’ off the tees but I was sharp on the greens. Every time I seem to miss the greens, I get an up-and-down and that sort of took the pressure off the round. I think that was basically the story of the day,” said the 2005 Asian Tour Rookie of the Year.

  SECOND ROUND TOTALS

Par 142 (2x71) Yardage 7020

132 - Hiroyuki FUJITA (JPN) 64-68.

133 - Darren BECK (AUS) 68-65, Juvic PAGUNSAN (PHI) 67-66, Koumei ODA (JPN) 64-69.

134 - Masamichi UEHIRA (JPN) 66-68, Hideto TANIHARA (JPN) 67-67, Yusaku MIYAZATO (JPN) 64-70.

135 - Shiv KAPUR (IND) 67-68, Daisuke KATAOKA (JPN) 67-68, Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) 70-65, Tomohiro KONDO (JPN) 66-69.

136 - Shigeru NONAKA (JPN) 66-70, WU Ashun (CHN) 67-69, Toru TANIGUCHI (JPN) 67-69, LEE Seong-ho (KOR) 67-69, Tjaart VAN DER WALT (RSA) 68-68, David LIPSKY (USA) 72-64, Ryo ISHIKAWA (JPN) 71-65.

137 - HWANG Jung-gon (KOR) 67-70, Yoshinobu TSUKADA (JPN) 68-69, Kazuhiro YAMASHITA (JPN) 64-73, Hidemasa HOSHINO (JPN) 67-70, I.J. JANG (KOR) 68-69, Chinnarat PHADUNGSIL (THA) 67-70.