Kuboya leads charge at UBS Japan Golf Tour Championship

Considered the ‘players championship’ of Japanese men’s golf, this week’s event is taking place amongst the forests of Ibaraki Prefecture, about an hour northeast of Tokyo. In 2007, it was the flamboyant king of Japanese men’s golf Shingo Katayama that clinched the victory.

Four birdies in a blemish-free opening nine holes saw Kuboya rocket up the leaderboard, with an even-par back nine enough for the four-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour to secure the top spot. The 36-year-old heads two players, Korean Lee Dong-hwan and Hiroshi Iwata, by one stroke, with another pair – Satoru Hirota and SK Ho – at two-under after 18 holes.

Said Kuboya: “This season, I have only made three cuts and I have not had the chance to be at the top of the leaderboard. However, at last, I have a chance to be on top and it made me feel very comfortable. Tomorrow, I hope to stay calm and stay at the top.”

The winner of the last two Japan Tour events and money list leaser, Thai Prayad Marksaeng, and Brendan Jones are tied at one-under. Amongst the other big names Katayama and Tommy Nakajima both finished with a 73.

Meanwhile, young superstar Ryo Ishikawa struggled to make an impact. An early birdie at the second had the record first day crowds at Shishido Hills in rapture, but a double-bogey at the seventh and five back nine bogeys offset his lone additional birdie at the 10th in a round of 76.

Said Ishikawa: “Today my driver was stable and I was happy with my tee shots. For this course, I can use the driver a lot and I am looking forward to that tomorrow. I am not too worried about my putting.”

Playing in the same group, UBS sponsor invite Noh Seung-yul from Korea posted a respectable two-over 73 in his Japan Golf Tour Championship debut to be in a tie for 33rd.

After struggling to an outward nine of three-over 39, a chip-in for birdie at the 16th, where UBS is offering a one-kilogramme gold bar for a hole-in-one, highlighted an impressive back nine. With narrow misses on both the 17th and 18th, the round could have been even better.

Said Noh: “Overall, I’m quite pleased. I made a few mistakes that I shouldn't have though. It's my first time playing in a professional tournament in Japan, so I was a bit nervous at first but midway through I was much more relaxed. Now that I’ve soaked in the atmosphere here, I am eager to keep a low score and make it through the weekend rounds.”

UBS’s remaining invites had difficult days, with Artemio Murakami of the Philippines and Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant in danger of missing the weekend cut. Zhang Lian-wei, who finished seventh here a year ago, posted a steady even-par 71 in the same group as Katayama.