Last year's money winner Toru Taniguchi beat Keiichiro Fukabori 3 and 2 in the first round of the Japan PGA Matchplay Championship on Thursday.
Elsewhere, Hidemasa Hoshino thrashed Katsuyoshi Tomori 6 and 5 over 18 holes at the Nidom Classic Golf Course while Yasuharu Imano downed defending champion Nobuhito Sato after going 2-up over the 6,957-yard course.
Myanmar's Zaw Moe won 3 and 2 over Tsuneyuki "Tommy" Nakajima, who has returned to the JPGA tour scene after a hiatus of three months. Shingo Katayama defeated Steven Conran of Australia 3 and 2, while Taichi Teshima routed Takashi Kanemoto 5 and 4.