Hong Kong number one Taichi Kho [main picture] narrowly lost out on claiming his first title on the Japan Golf Tour after being beaten in a sudden-death play-off at the BMW Japan Golf Tour Championship Mori Building Cup yesterday.

Japan’s Hiroshi Iwata made a birdie on the first extra-hole to claim the title on the West Course at Shishido Hills Country Club. His compatriot Naoyuki Kataoka was also involved in the extra-time contest.

However, it was an encouraging week for Kho, which coming after a T13 finish in the KOLON Korea Open two weeks ago suggests the 25-year-old’s game is back on track.

He shot a four-under-par 67 on the final day, brilliantly making birdie on the last two holes to finish tied on eight under. He had started with rounds of 70, 69, and 68.

It is his best performance of the year so far and will give him confidence ahead of this week’s International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco, which starts Thursday.

The win was Iwata’s eighth success on his home tour.