May 8: Japan’s Shunya Takeyasu continued his strong form from the end of last season as he overcame the early windy conditions at Caledonian Golf Club to post a bogey-free round of seven-under-par 65 for a two-shot lead midway through the opening round of the $2 million International Series Japan presented by Moutai.

The 32-year-old, who spent a season on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in 2016 and won the PGM UMW Championship in only his second start, made seven birdies in his round to claim the clubhouse lead ahead of Ren Yonezawa, his highly rated young compatriot.

Yonezawa, 25, winner of two titles on the Japan Golf Tour last year, made three birdies on both nines of the par-71 golf course, but his round included a solitary bogey on the par-three 17th hole.

Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines was his usual solid self in carding a bogey-free 67 for a tie of third at four-under-par alongside Japan’s Yosuka Asaji.

Takeyasu 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.

Ren Yonezawa of Japan. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour

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.”

Yonezawa, the world No.279, has finished inside the top-six in two of his first three starts in Japan this year. Also a TFU alumnus, the Japanese star is attempting to win his first title on the Asian Tour, and made a solid start in a round that included a testing eight-foot putt for par on the ninth, his final hole.

“I’ve been playing well since the start of the season, and I’m hitting the ball the same way this week too, so I feel like I’m playing with a lot of confidence,” said Yonezawa. “I believe being able to prepare well during the off-season has been a big factor for me.”

Yonezawa was also enjoying his first event on The International Series, the 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour calendar, and was hoping to make full use of local knowledge of his home country.

“Since most of the players are from overseas, it kind of feels like being abroad. For me, it’s a really comfortable environment. I just hope I can enjoy that aspect while I play,” said Yonezawa.

“We don’t usually get to have an experience like this, so I really enjoyed it. I feel like I can make the most of my past experiences, so I’m genuinely excited.”