May 8: Armed with a second-hand putter purchased from a thrift shop while having dinner last week in Korea, Australia’s Lucas Herbert waltzed his way to a two-shot lead and tied the course record with a bogey-free nine-under-par 62 in the opening round of the $2 million International Series Japan presented by Moutai.

The putter, called Code 01 Forged with an old Yes C-groove face, was smoking hot throughout the day, but especially in the first seven holes as he quickly joined morning leader, Shunya Takeyasu of Japan, at seven-under-par with six birdies and an eagle.

The eagle came on the par-five second hole, where Herbert smashed a 5-wood to 20 feet, and converted the first of his long putts for the day.

Takeyasu played in the morning groups and handled the windy conditions well in a bogey-free round of seven-under 64. Korea’s Younghan Song was in third place, aided by a hole-in-one on the sixth hole, as he closed with a 65.

Local Hero Shugo Imahira, who is trying to find his way back into the form that carried him to world No.30 in 2019, did his chances no harm with a first-round 66, which tied him for fourth place with compatriot Ren Yonezawa, Guatemala’s Jose Toledo, American LIV Golf star Cameron Tringale and Thailand’s Atiruj Winaicharoenchai.

Shunya Takeyasu of Japan. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour

The 29-year-old Herbert is part of the all-Australian Ripper GC team on LIV Golf and was in Incheon last week for LIV Golf Korea. He has had three top-five finishes already but felt he could have done better with how he hit the ball.

While heading to the 2018 Open Championship, his golf bag was lost in transit, and he never found his favourite C-groove putter. The moment he saw the putter with the same face, he immediately bought it, and the move paid rich dividends at the par-71 Caledonian Golf Club.

Even though he made only two more birdies after that start, which tied the course record earlier held by Japan’s Tadahiro Takayama in the opening round of 2017 Asia Pacific Open Diamond Cup, Herbert was delighted with his outing.

“Very happy with the way I played. Slowed down a little bit towards the end. Would have been nice to play the last four holes a little better and maybe have a run at a 59,” said Herbert, who finished third in the International Series Macau presented by Wynn last year.

“No… but very happy to be leading by two. And (equal) the course record as well.

“The putter was behaving, definitely on the first few holes. Just got off to really hot start there with the putter. And that just gave me a lot of confidence going to the rest of the round knowing that I could sort of get myself anywhere around the hole.”

Younghan Song of Korea. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour

Takeyasu, 32, spent a season on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in 2016 and won the PGM UMW Championship in only his second start. He had an average start to 2024 on Japan Golf Tour with just one top-10 in his first 17 starts. However, he caught fire towards the end with four top-10s and a tied 11th place in the season-ending Nippon Series JT Cup in his last seven events.

The Tohoku Fukushi University (TFU) alumnus, one year junior to the 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, started on the 10th tee and was three-under par for his first five holes, before powering ahead with three consecutive birdies around the turn on the 18th, first and second. He then added another on the par-five seventh.

“I think today’s round was the result of playing aggressive golf, which led to a good score. I’ve been playing well and felt like I could finish on the top of the leaderboard,” said Takeyasu, who finished runner-up in the 2016 Yeangder TPC, his best result on the Asian Tour.

“Last year, my putting stats were not good, so I practiced a lot. My putting is getting a lot better now.

“I want to win, but it’s not something that can be done by wishing. So, I’ll focus on my game, and hopefully the victory will come as a result.”

Takeyasu believes his early days on the Asian Tour helped shape him as a player.

“I spent about two years playing Asian Tour, and I think I am a much better player because of the experiences I gained there. I really like the atmosphere on the Asian Tour back then, and even though we’re in Japan this week, the vibe feels very much like playing the Asian Tour,” said Takeyasu.

“Back then, I had to arrange my own caddies and accommodation while traveling. All those experiences contributed to the toughness I have now. It was great mental training for me.”

Korea’s Song used a perfect nine-iron from 159 yard for his ace, which helped him finish on 65.

“My iron shots were not very good today,” said Song, winner of the 2016 SMBC Singapore Open and a regular on Japan Golf Tour. “But my approach shots and long putts helped me.

“It was a very lucky day. This is the first hole-in-one I’ve made in 14 years. The feeling was simply indescribable when I saw the ball drop into the hole. I was ecstatic.”

International Series Japan presented by Moutai is the third of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour calendar that form a pathway onto the LIV Golf League.