Kobe, Japan, September 29: Japan’s Toshinori Muto collected his first Asian Tour title in style after closing with a second straight seven-under-par 64 to win by four shots at the Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship on Sunday.

The 41-year-old Muto halted a winless streak of four years after firing eight birdies against a bogey to cap a winning total of 21-under-par 263, setting a record lowest 72-hole score in the tournament that is celebrating its 10th edition this week.

Starting the day with a one-shot edge, Muto rode on his fine form to pull away from the chasing pack at the Higashi Hirono Golf Club. His four-shot triumph would also match the largest winning margin record in the tournament set earlier by Daisuke Maruyama in 2009.

Shugo Imahira, who entered the week as the second highest-ranked Japanese on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), came in runner-up after closing with three straight birdies for a 67. Home favourite Ryo Ishikawa carded a commendable 66 to finish one shot back in third.

Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand battled to a 71 to finish in fourth place on 271. The result was enough to help him win the second edition of the Panasonic Swing series with 3,021 points and take home a top bonus prize of US$70,000.

Thai duo Poom Saksansin and Panuphol Pittayarat secured second and third places on the final Panasonic Swing rankings, earning US$50,000 and US$30,000 respectively from the reward scheme.

The ¥150,000,000 (approx. US$1,338,067) event, co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO), is the concluding leg of the 2018/19 Panasonic Swing.

The Panasonic Swing is based on an aggregate point ranking earned by players at the following five tournaments – 2018 Thailand Open, 2018 Panasonic Open India, 2018 Indonesian Masters, 2019 Maybank Championship (Malaysia) and 2019 Panasonic Open Golf Championship (Japan).

Did you know?

• Toshinori Muto started playing golf when he was a kid. His family from his mother side owned a driving range back then.
• The 41-year-old Muto turned professional in 2001. With this victory at the Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship, Muto is now a seven-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour. His last victory was the 2015 ISPS HANDA Global Cup.
• Muto would take home a winner’s prize purse of ¥30,000,000 (approx. US$267,613), thanks to his victory at the Higashi Hirono Golf Club.
• He is the second Japanese, following Yosuke Asaji, to win on the Asian Tour this season.
• Muto successfully recaptured the trophy on home soil after India’s Rahil Gangjee became only the second foreign player to win the tournament last year.
• Prior to this week, Muto was ranked 519th on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). His career-best position was 102nd at the end of 2012.
• Muto needed only 25 putts in his solid rounds of 64 today.
• Shugo Imahira topped the Merit rankings on the Japan Golf Tour in 2018. He was a former member of the Asian Tour in 2016 and 2017.
• He entered the week in 72nd place on the latest Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) as the second highest-ranked Japanese in the world. The 26-year-old, who hails from Saitama, is the highest-ranked Japanese in the 132-man field this week.
• Imahira’s runner-up finish would mark his fourth consecutive top-10 finish on the Japan Golf Tour and second straight one on the Asian Tour.
• Ryo Ishikawa won his first Japan Golf Tour event, the Munsingwear Open KSB Cup, when he was only 15 years 8 months and 3 days old.
• The 28-year-old Ishikawa was playing that event as an amateur in his first Japan Golf Tour start, and winning the tournament made him the youngest winner ever on the Japan Golf Tour.
• Ishikawa turned professional in 2008 and by the end of the year he had become the youngest ever player to reach the top 100 of the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR), ending the year ranked 60th.
• After a few years on the PGA Tour, Ishikawa returned to play full time on the Japan Golf Tour in 2018.
• Ishikawa won this year’s Japan PGA Championship and Shigeo Nagashima Invitational SEGASAMMY Cup in consecutive starts on the Japan Golf Tour.
• Jazz Janewattananond is the only player to have won more than once on the Asian Tour so far this season. He claimed his third title at the season-opening Singapore Open in January and secured his fourth victory at the Kolon Korea Open in June.
• At the age of 23 years 6 months and 27 days, Jazz becomes the youngest ever player to achieve four wins on Tour. India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar held the record previously after he won his fourth title in 2012 at the age of 24.
• Jazz entered the week in 60th position on the OWGR and he was the highest-ranked player in the talented field this week.
• Apart from the two victories, Jazz has now notched six top-10 finishes on the Asian Tour this season, following his solo fourth result at the Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship. He would extend his lead on the Order of Merit with a season’s haul of US$833,524.
• Jazz also enjoyed a tied-14th place finish at the PGA Championship in June which was the best-ever result achieved by a Thai player at the PGA Championship.

Kobe, Japan, September 29: Read what players have to say following the final round of the Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship on Sunday.

Toshinori Muto (Jpn) – Final round 64 (-7), Total 263 (-21)

I am really glad that I played well today. It has been four years. It is a really long time. After opening with two birdies, I started to play a little less aggressive. I felt my swing was loose. So I talked to my caddy and we discussed about what to do.

If I continue to play like that, with a loose swing, other players will be able to spot my weakness. So starting from the sixth hole, we decided to just go for the pins and try to make birdies.

I have been working with my caddy, Oda, for 12 years. He knows what I am thinking. He knows it when my mental game is not there or when I am losing concentration. He kept me focused and I did that on the back nine to win the tournament.

I know Ryo Ishikawa was chasing, by listening to the spectators’ cheers. But I told myself to just play my game. Some players tell me that I am too aggressive sometimes, always aiming the pins, but this is my style and I am glad that I am here right now with the trophy. 

Shugo Imahira (Jpn) – Final round 67 (-4), Total 267 (-17)

I tried to catch up today but I made a mistake on the seventh hole where i pulled the shot. That was something I should not have done. But other than that, I played my best. Muto was just too aggressive making birdies, I couldn’t stop him.

Score wise, I am happy. But I am not satisfied with my shots today. Before Muto makes mistake, I made mistake with on the seventh and ended up with a double-bogey. I was playing against the wind, tried hitting an eight-iron from 143 yards but pulled that shot.

It was a difficult approach, there was a small mound behind the ball. I have to hit the ball high, but hit the club a little too strong. It was a good finish with three straight birdies. I hope this result will boost my game and I can do better in the next tournament.

Ryo Ishikawa (Jpn) – Final round 66 (-5), Total 268 (-16)

Whether I can win the tournament or not really depends on how Muto plays today. I played good and scored a 66 but he played even better. I tried my best and that is what you need to do. It has been a good week and I am sure this result will help me in my game in future.

This is a course that I have difficulties playing in the past. So I am really pleased with how I finished on this course this week.

Muto played well. I was actually aiming for 20-under. But I know now that even if I made it to 20-under, I won’t be able to catch up. He shot another seven-under again today. That’s really impressive. I know Muto’s game. When he gets into the zone, no one can stop him.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) – Final round 70 (-1), Total 271 (-13)

It’s an honor to win the Panasonic Swing. I didn’t even know I had a chance to win until the last minute. I think it’s a nice to see sponsors like Panasonic trying to grow the game of golf. Their support has such a big impact on the Asian golf community.

The game is almost back on track. You know I haven’t posted a good finish in a while, but today it seems like I almost got it. I just couldn’t get the round I wanted, couldn’t get the ball in the hole. You can’t really force the win if you are not putting well but overall, I’m pretty happy with my result.

I have been trying to get my game back on track before the three big tournaments coming up – the CJ Cup, the ZOZO Championship and the WGC-HSBC Champions. I feel it’s coming back and I am happy to post a good result this week before these big events.

Kobe, Japan, September 28: Read what players have to say following the penultimate round of the Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship on Saturday.

Toshinori Muto (Jpn) – Third round 64 (-7), Total 199 (-14)

I started off really well. I had some chances on the back nine as well but couldn’t convert. I won’t complain with the score today. I made a good par on the 17th hole. I was too aggressive on the sixth, left myself a long putt to make and ended up three-putting for bogey.

I was trying for an eagle on the last. I hit a good stroke but didn’t make the putt. I a still satisfied with birdie. I want to play like this again tomorrow. If I can do that, I will have a good chance. Unless someone came up and shoot like a nine-under.

My tee shots have been good and my putting too. I just need to make sure I read the correct lines on the greens. I will try to play cautiously but confidently tomorrow. My daughter came to cheer me on today. It was good motivation.

I am glad I was able to play my ‘A’ game today. I am looking forward to the final test tomorrow. I have to try harder. I am only leading by one shot but it’s better than nothing. I will try not to think about the score and about the win. I just want to keep making birdies. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow.

Shugo Imahira (Jpn) – Third round 66 (-5), Total 200 (-13)

I hit a perfect second shot. I was riding on a good momentum out there. I was hoping to birdie the last hole but to get that eagle was great. I bogeyed the first but made a good birdie right after. That calmed me down. My shots were pretty good all week and I putted well today.

I am looking forward to play in the final group tomorrow and to put myself in a good position and give myself a chance to win tomorrow. I have struggled in the final rounds recently so I will need to make a lot of birdies tomorrow to have a chance.

I will try not to think about winning. Just keep playing my game. The aim is to shoot my best round this week tomorrow. If I can play my own game, I will have a chance.

 Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) – Third round 66 (-5), Total 201 (-12)

I started off really shaky today and managed to get it back again. I had some lucky shots out there. I made a couple of long putts. I probably had two long putts that I wouldn’t make usually, but they came at the right time. I would say the birdie on 10 got my round going.

I couldn’t hit anything to the green. I kept missing greens. Couldn’t give myself a chance out there. But after the front nine, I kind of figured out what I needed to do and then I kind of fixed it, so we’ll see what happens tomorrow.

Miguel Carballo (Arg) – Third round 66 (-5), Total 201 (-12)

I played very well today. It was a perfect day. I gave myself a lot of opportunities to make birdies. The wind was swirling on the last, I had like 86 yards to the pin and I hit to the edge of the green. Had an uphill putt about five yards from there and made it. It was a good finish.

I had a good chip-in for par today as well. It was pretty similar to the last two rounds, just that the winds were picking on the last three holes. But the course is still in a good condition. I thought it was important for me to play under-par today because it will put me in a good position for tomorrow. I managed to do that.

My game is feeling good. I feel very confident right now. This is a difficult course. You can’t really hit it into the rough. I putted well today. Didn’t play my driver well on a few holes but overall, it was alright because I still got a good position in the rough.

It’s my first time in Japan. I am loving it here. The course condition is perfect. I really enjoy playing here. This is my second year playing on the Asian Tour. I have played four years on the Korn Ferry Tour and the PGA TOUR before. I have also played in Europe as well.

I think I have played on eight different Tours throughout my career. Those were great experiences for me. But I feel it’s the same everywhere, it’s just you playing against the course. If your game is good, it doesn’t matter where you are. You worked hard everywhere you are.

I just want to stay relaxed for tomorrow. The goal is to try and play under-par. But the most important thing is to stay focused and not think about the results.

Kobe, Japan, September 28: Japan’s Toshinori Muto rode on a fast start to mark the day’s best score with a seven-under-par 64 and grab the outright lead by one shot following the penultimate round at the Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship on Saturday.

Starting the day with a two-shot deficit, Muto got off to a strong start with three birdies in his opening four holes. He dropped a shot on the sixth but would recover brilliantly with four straight birdies from the seventh before picking up another birdie on the last.

Muto, who had held a share of the opening round lead, regained his place atop the leaderboard with a three-day total of 14-under-par 199 while countryman Shugo Imahira takes second place, thanks to a closing eagle which helped him sign for a 66 at the Higashi Hirono Golf Club.

Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Jazz Janewattananond put himself in the title mix after bouncing back from a slow start to post a 66 at the ¥150,000,000 (approx. US$1,338,067) event, co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO).

The 23-year-old Thai stumbled with two bogeys in his opening five holes but rolled in seven birdies in his last 10 holes to grab a share of third place with Argentina’s Miguel Carballo (66) on matching 201s in the popular tournament, which is celebrating its 10^th edition this week.

Apart from chasing for his fifth Asian Tour victory and a third win this season, Jazz is also in the running to top the 2018/19 Panasonic Swing, where he sits in third place with 2340.93 points. He needs at least a tied-fourth place finish at the Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship to have a chance to pip current leader Poom Saksansin to the title.

The Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship is the concluding leg of the 2018/19 Panasonic Swing. The Panasonic Swing is based on an aggregate point ranking earned by players at the following five tournaments – 2018 Thailand Open, 2018 Panasonic Open India, 2018 Indonesian Masters, 2019 Maybank Championship (Malaysia) and 2019 Panasonic Open Golf Championship (Japan).

The top-three finishers upon the conclusion of the 2019 Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship will share a bonus pool of US$150,000 where they will earn US$70,000, US$50,000 and US$30,000 respectively via the reward scheme.

Did you know?

• Toshinori Muto started playing golf when he was a kid. His family from his mother side owned a driving range back then.
• The 41-year-old Muto turned professional in 2001 and is a six-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour. His last victory was the 2015 ISPS HANDA Global Cup, and he recorded his career-biggest win at the 2011 Dunlop Phoenix.
• Muto is currently ranked 519^th on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). His career-best position was 102^nd at the end of 2012.
• Muto missed only two greens in his solid round of 64 today.
• Shugo Imahira topped the Merit rankings on the Japan Golf Tour in 2018. He was a former member of the Asian Tour in 2016 and 2017.
• He sits in 72nd place on the latest Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) as the second highest-ranked Japanese. The 26-year-old, who hails from Saitama, is the highest-ranked Japanese in the 132-man field this week.
• Imahira sank a four-footer for eagle on the last hole 18^th to sign for a 66 and grab second place. He dropped only three shots so far this week.
• Jazz Janewattananond is the only player to have won more than once on the Asian Tour so far this season. He claimed his third title at the season-opening Singapore Open in January and secured his fourth victory at the Kolon Korea Open in June.
• Jazz needed only 11 putts on back 9, where he only missed 1 green, in his solid round of 66.
• At the age of 23 years 6 months and 27 days, Jazz becomes the youngest ever player to achieve four wins on Tour. India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar held the record previously after he won his fourth title in 2012 at the age of 24.
• Jazz is the highest-ranked player in the talented 132-man field this week. He leads the current Asian Tour Order of Merit and is ranked 60th on the latest Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).
• Apart from the two victories, Jazz has also notched five top-10 finishes on the Asian Tour this season.
• Jazz also enjoyed a tied-14th place finish at the PGA Championship in June which was the best-ever result achieved by a Thai player at the PGA Championship.
• Miguel Carballo claimed his Asian Tour breakthrough at the Indonesia Open one month ago. Prior to that victory, he has never made the cut in six starts on the Asian Tour this season.
• Carballo is the second Argentinian to win on the Asian Tour following Angel Cabrera’s victory at the 2007 Barclays Singapore Open.
• Carballo won the Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit in 2018 to secure a card for this year’s Asian Tour season.
• A two-time champion on the ADT, Carballo won the Singha Laguna Phuket Open in 2019 and the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament in 2018.
• Carballo is playing in Asia for the second year running. It is his first trip to Japan this week. He dropped only two shots so far this week.
• Since turning pro in 2002 the 40-year-old Argentinian has also won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour, the 2007 Movistar Panama Championship and the 2011 Children’s Hospital Classic. 
• His best year on that Tour was in 2011 when he finished 10th on the Money List securing a card for the 2012 PGA Tour, where he also played in 2014 and 2016-2017.
• The lowest winning score of the Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship was set by Japan’s Masanori Kaboyashi with a 17-under-par 267 total in 2012 at the Higashi Hirono Golf Club.

Kobe, Japan, September 27: India’s Rahil Gangjee turned up the heat in his title defence at the Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship after posting a bogey-free round of an eight-under-par 63 to seize a one-shot halfway lead on Friday.

The 40-year-old Indian, who closed with an eagle for his opening 70, picked up from where he left off as he fired eight birdies to move atop the leaderboard with a nine-under-par 133 total at the ¥150,000,000 (approximately US$1,338,067) event.

Japanese heartthrob Ryo Ishikawa bounced back brilliantly from his opening 72 as he sizzled with a course record-tying 62 to grab a share of second place with countryman Shugo Imahira (69), Korea’s Sanghee Lee (67) and Lu Wei-chih (69) of Chinese Taipei at the Higashi Hirono Golf Club.

Order of Merit leader Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand battled to a 69 to lurk two shots off the pace in sixth place alongside a host of players, including Ajeetesh Sandhu of India, who produced the shot of the day when he aced the 11th hole with a six-iron from 191 yards.

Gangjee is chasing to become the first player to successfully defend his title at the Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship, which is celebrating its 10th edition on the Asian Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO) this week.

The Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship is the concluding leg of the 2018/19 Panasonic Swing. The Panasonic Swing is based on an aggregate point ranking earned by players at the following five tournaments – 2018 Thailand Open, 2018 Panasonic Open India, 2018 Indonesian Masters, 2019 Maybank Championship (Malaysia) and 2019 Panasonic Open Golf Championship (Japan).

The top-three finishers upon the conclusion of the 2019 Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship will share a bonus pool of US$150,000 where they will earn US$70,000, US$50,000 and US$30,000 respectively via the reward scheme.

Did you know?

• Rahil Gangjee ended a 14-year title drought when he won his second Asian Tour title at the 2018 Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship last year.
• He became only the second foreigner, following Australian Brendan Jones in 2010, to win the prestigious event.
• In his solid round of 63, Gangjee missed only three greens in regulation, found 10 fairways and needed only 25 putts.
• Gangjee finished second on the 2017/18 Panasonic Swing, thanks to his victory at the Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship last year.
• Gangjee first won on the Asian Tour in 2004 in China where he beat a top field that included Europe’s Ryder Cup heroes Phillip Price, Ian Woosnam and Nick Faldo.
• He had several close finishes since then, most notably at the 2014 Panasonic Open India in 2014 when he lost in a play-off to S.S.P. Chawrasia.
• Gangjee enters the week in good form, having secured his first top-10 finish on the Japan Golf Tour two weeks ago and a top-20 finish in Korea last week, which is his best result on the Asian Tour so far this season.
• Lu Wei-chih is a four-time winner on the Asian Tour. All of his victories on the Asian Tour have come from home soil in Chinese Taipei.
• In 2012, Lu underwent brain surgery to remove a non-malignant tumour which put him out of action for close to a year. 
• Although he posted only one top-10 in the subsequent seasons upon his return, Lu was simply relieved he could compete again after his major health scare.
• He secured his first top-10 result this season at the Diamond Cup in Japan earlier in May. Apart from that, he had made only two cuts in eight other starts on Tour. He sits in 63rd position on the Order of Merit.
• Ryo Ishikawa won his first Japan Golf Tour event, the Munsingwear Open KSB Cup, when he was only 15 years 8 months and 3 days old.
• The 28-year-old Ishikawa was playing that event as an amateur in his first Japan Golf Tour start, and winning the tournament made him the youngest winner ever on the Japan Golf Tour.
• Ishikawa turned professional in 2008 and by the end of the year he had become the youngest ever player to reach the top 100 of the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR), ending the year ranked 60th.
• After a few years on the PGA Tour, Ishikawa returned to play full time on the Japan Golf Tour in 2018.
• Following a lean spell with no victories in 2017-18, Ishikawa won this year’s Japan PGA Championship and Shigeo Nagashima Invitational SEGASAMMY Cup in consecutive starts on the Japan Golf Tour.
• He is currently leading the Japan Golf Tour Money Ranking and has climbed to 110th on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) after being ranked 300th at the end of June this year, which was his lowest position since 2008.
• Ishikawa tied the course record with his sizzling 62. The record was previously shared by Yuta Ikeda and Masanori Kobayashi who shot matching 62s in the opening round and the final round respectively at the 2012 Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship.
• Shugo Imahira topped the Merit rankings on the Japan Golf Tour in 2018. He was a former member of the Asian Tour in 2016 and 2017.
• He sits in 72nd place on the latest Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) as the second highest-ranked Japanese. The 26-year-old, who hails from Saitama, is the highest-ranked Japanese in the 132-man field this week.

Kobe, Japan, September 27: Read what players have to say following the second round of the Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship on Friday.

Rahil Gangjee (Ind) – Second round 63 (-8), Total (-9)

It wasn’t an easy day yesterday. It was very trying on my patience. The whole of yesterday I just didn’t make any putts but I fought really hard. I wanted to finish under-par and dreams came true on the last hole ninth where I made an eagle to finish one-under par.

It was a good feeling coming back today. I know the birdies are out there, it’s just that I haven’t holed anything. When I did that today, it just kept coming. It was good. Putting was the main difference but I hit it pretty good too. I did make a lot of putts, anything from between 10 to 20 footers. It was a good putting day.

Everything was just mundane today. Hit the fairways, greens and then make putts. I actually left like four putts out there. It could have been a lot more under-par. But I’m not complaining. The greens are playing better in the morning too.

No thoughts right now. I just want to go out there and control the golf ball. I have been trying to do that for the last couple of years. It’s settling in now so that is what I will do for the next two rounds.

It’s always difficult to defend because everyone is looking at you. I need to stay away from that. I try to stay away from that and don’t think about it. I just want to go and play golf. The whole of last year has been a big learning curve for me in Japan because all the courses I played were new to me.

It’s also a different mindset because I am just trying to know about the courses and remembering the shots I hit out there. It has got nothing to do with score. Even though I don’t know the golf course well this week, that same mindset comes in and that matters to scoring and going deep.

When you don’t think about scores, just hit the ball, find it and hit again, I think the score takes care of itself.

Lu Wei-chih (Tpe) – Second round 69 (-2), Total 134 (-8)

I missed a few fairways today. I couldn’t really attack the pins as well. But I just try to get it on the green and give myself opportunities to make birdies. Nothing really stood out today. It was a pretty steady round for us.

Still in a good position but there are a lot more golf to play. We will see what happens. Nothing changes for the weekend. I just want to stay focused, stick to my game plan and play it shot by shot. If I can do that, I believe the score will take care of itself.

Ryo Ishikawa (Jpn) – Second round 62 (-9), Total 134 (-8)

I hit some solid iron shots today and made some long putts. I been trying to improve my iron shots before coming here, I’m glad it’s paying off. It was nice to finish with an eagle on 18. I was trying to avoid the water, hit a solid four-iron to four feet there and made that putt.

I played with Sergio Garcia and Jazz (Janewattananond) earlier in the year in Singapore and I learned that their iron-shot accuracy is almost twice better than me. This means they were able to hit it close to the pins, so to reduce the distance of the putts I have on the greens, I have to work on my iron-play.

I have been working on that all year and I’m glad the results are showing. I couldn’t control the ball well yesterday. But I did it better today. That made a lot of difference as I was able to attack from the fairways.

I am glad that I made it to the weekend here at Higashi Hirono Golf Club (laughs). After finishing one-over yesterday, I told myself I have to play my own game. I have to play without any distractions and just concentrate on golf.

Whenever I make mistakes, I will keep thinking about it after the round and adjust it on the practice range. I will put down a list of mistakes I made too. I will think about it even during interviews or in the car going back to hotel and then write them down when I am alone in my room.

Shugo Imahira (Jpn) – Second round 69 (-2), Total 134 (-8)

I had a hard time playing the front nine but I stayed very patient out there. I am glad I recovered on the back nine. I couldn’t control the ball like I did yesterday, but glad that I finished on eight-under.

I was watching Ryo Ishikawa today and felt that if he starts well, he will shoot a low score. He hit some really solid shots today.

With the way I played today, I am still tied with Ishikawa. That’s not too bad. I will try to put up a good score tomorrow and give myself a chance to contend for the title on Sunday.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) – Second round 69 (-2), Total 135 (-6)

I just started off really shaky. I missed a lot of putts so it was good to get it back. Made some stupid mistakes at the start and then had some unlucky breaks on a couple of holes. It’s good to see that I can come back from that. Hopefully the next two rounds will be a bit smoother.

I’m just trying to figure out which putting technique works for me, and to be honest, I didn’t putt that great today. I had two three putts on the card, so that’s not a good look. But I’ll keep it in play for the last two days.

I misread the eagle putt on the last but it’s still a good birdie. Ryo (Ishikawa) made an eagle there. It’s good to see him play really well today.  

Kobe, Japan, September 26: Read what players have to say following the opening round of the Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship on Thursday.

Lu Wei-chih (Tpe) – First round 65 (-6)

I hit driver really well today. My iron-play was solid too. I managed to hit a lot of fairways. The only bogey I had today was on 16. I hit it into the rough and there was a pond right in front. I had to chip it to about 100 yards from the pin and hit the green with my third shot. Two-putted there for bogey. That was the only blemish today.

Overall, I hit it really good off the tee and was able to hit it close to the pins and give myself opportunities for birdies. My putting was good too. I struggled with putting last week. I am glad I managed to get back the feel this week.

I know what my shortcomings were before coming this week so I have been working on it and I am happy to see the efforts pay off. I had some good results in Japan before but I was feeling the same coming into this week. I think if my game is good, it doesn’t matter where I play.

Just nice, I made some good adjustments before coming here and the result is showing. I haven’t played well the last couple of months to be honest. I have been working on a lot coming into this week.

It’s my first time playing here. The conditions are great. Accuracy off the tees are key this week. You can’t really afford to hit it into the rough. If you do so, you can only chip it out.

Shugo Imahira (Jpn) – First round 65 (-6)

I hit the driver good today. I missed a few greens but was able to save par with a good short game. It was a good relief to birdie the first hole, especially on a difficult course like this. I chipped it in for birdie with my sand wedge.

I hit it into the bunker on sixth but managed to save par there as well. It’s been awhile since I last played with Ryo Ishikawa. We got lots of spectators today. Felt good that they cheered my birdies too.

This course needs straight tee shots. If I can hit straight, then I will have chance to score low.

Toshinori Muto (Jpn) – First round 65 (-6)

Overall, my shots were good. A couple of unsteady shots off the tees which went into the rough but luckily, I got good lies. I think my iron-play was what helped me to my good score today. I remember last time I played this course; I was really tired.

This time of the year, I used to play too many events and got myself physically very tied. I like the layout here. You need to play good irons to score low. It’s just the first round, but it’s a good beginning.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) – First round 66 (-5)

It’s quite hot out there. I think I have played with Shugo Imahira for more than 10 times already. So I know what is his game like and I know Ryo Ishikawa’s as well. There was a huge crowd supporting Ryo today and it’s nice to see.

All the birdies I made today were similar. Nothing really stood out. I changed my putting technique to arm lock again and it’s working well so far. So we’ll see. The course is playing tough today actually so I am happy with my five-under.

I’m just one shot back right now. It’s good to get off to a good start. We played in Korea last week and the roughs are pretty much two times higher than we have here. I’m happy to see that the roughs are shorter this week actually!

I just went out there and tried to get my game back. I have been struggling a bit. I have been hitting weird shots out there but it’s moving in the right direction again. Seems like I’m back in form but will see if I can do the same for all four days.

I’m not thinking so much about the Order of Merit chase actually. I just told myself to keep playing good and not make any stupid mistakes but golf is a game that you can’t perfect so you just have to keep fixing it and not stop where you are. I’ve been working on my game. I’m glad it’s paying off.

Yikeun Chang (Kor) – First round 66 (-5)

I hit a pretty good drive. I had a six-iron in my hand and I hit a perfect shot. My goal was to hit it a little right and a little short. I did that and went on to hole like a 15-footer. It was nice to hole that eagle putt on the last.

I started really bad today. I was three over after six holes. I made a double-bogey on the fifth and a bogey on the sixth. But I managed to pull myself together. I know my game is still good. I just need to hang in there and start hitting the fairways and greens.

I made a lot of putts after that and was like eight-under in my last 10 holes. I am just riding on the good momentum. I have been playing well. Winning in Chinese Taipei gave me a lot of confidence. I felt really good in Korea last week too.

I’m hitting the ball good and putting well. There are still three more days to go. You never know what will happen. My game plan is to keep hitting fairways and greens. The course is in a superb condition. It can’t get any better. The wind was swirling a little but wasn’t much of a concern.

Kobe, Japan, September 26: Chinese Taipei’s Lu Wei-chih wielded a hot putter to grab a share of the opening round lead with Shugo Imahira and Toshinori Muto of Japan as the trio signed for matching six-under-par 65s at the Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship on Thursday.

Lu, who played in the final group that started from the 10^th today, traded two birdies against a bogey to turn in 35 but picked up five more birdies on his way home to seize a share of the lead at the prestigious Higashi Hirono Golf Club.

The 40-year-old Lu would match the efforts of Imahira and Muto, who both returned with bogey-free rounds highlighted by six birdies in the ¥150,000,000 (approximately US$1,338,067) event that is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO).

Order of Merit leader Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand also signed for a blemish-free card as he registered a 66 to trail by one shot in fourth place alongside Korea’s Yikeun Chang and Kazuki Higa of Japan, who claimed their respective breakthroughs on the Asian Tour and the Japan Golf Tour earlier this month.

Australian Brendon Jones, one of the five past champions of the tournament in the field this week, closed with two straight birdies to settle two shots off the pace in seventh place with three other players, including Argentinean Miguel Carballo, who won his first Asian Tour title recently in Indonesia.

The Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship will be the concluding leg of the 2018/19 Panasonic Swing. The popular event is celebrating its 10^th edition on the Asian Tour this week and is returning to the Higashi Hirono Golf Club following a seven-year lapse.

Did you know?

• Lu Wei-chih is a four-time winner on the Asian Tour. All of his victories on the Asian Tour have come from home soil in Chinese Taipei.
• In 2012, Lu underwent brain surgery to remove a non-malignant tumour which put him out of action for close to a year. 
• Although he posted only one top-10 in the subsequent seasons upon his return, Lu was simply relieved he could compete again after his major health scare.
• Lu navigated his way around the greens in only 26 putts. He hit eight fairways and missed only four greens in his round of 65.
• He secured his first top-10 result this season at the Diamond Cup in Japan earlier in May. Apart from that, he had made only two cuts in eight other starts on Tour. He sits in 63^rd position on the Order of Merit.
• Shugo Imahira topped the Merit rankings on the Japan Golf Tour in 2018. He was a former member of the Asian Tour in 2016 and 2017.
• He sits in 72^nd place on the latest Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) as the second highest-ranked Japanese. The 26-year-old, who hails from Saitama, is the highest-ranked Japanese in the 132-man field this week.
• Imahira missed three fairways and five greens and needed only 25 putts in his round of 65.
• Toshinori Muto started playing golf when he was a kid. His family from his mother side owned a driving range back then.
• The 41-year-old Muto turned professional in 2001 and is a six-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour.
• Jazz Janewattananond missed eight greens but found 10 fairways and needed only 23 putts in his commendable round of 66.
• Sitting in 60^th place on the OWGR, Jazz is the highest-ranked player in the field this week. He also leads the Asian Tour Order of Merit with a current haul of US$769,297.
• Jazz is the only player to have won more than once on the Asian Tour so far this season. He claimed his third title at the season-opening Singapore Open in January and secured his fourth victory at the Kolon Korea Open in June.
• At the age of 23 years 6 months and 27 days, Jazz becomes the youngest ever player to achieve four wins on Tour. India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar held the record previously after he won his fourth title in 2012 at the age of 24.
• Yikeun Chang claimed his Asian Tour breakthrough in Chinese Taipei three weeks ago.
• Despite stumbling with a double-bogey on fifth and a bogey on sixth, Chang managed to bounce back strongly with six birdies and an eagle to sign for a 66.
• Kazuki Higa is an Asian Tour member and a two-time winner on the Asian Development Tour (ADT).