OARAI, Ibaraki Pref. — Tour veteran Takashi Kanemoto defeated Brendan Jones with a birdie on the third playoff hole at the Mitsubishi Diamond Cup on Sunday for his first career win.
The 38-year-old Kanemoto ended a 16-year drought as he knocked his second shot from a fairway bunker to about five feet to set up the birdie on the third extra hole — the par-4 18th — at Oarai Golf Club.
Jones missed his birdie attempt before Kanemoto sank his putt for a winner's paycheck of ¥30 million that brought him to the top of the 2008 money list.
"I didn't expect I could win at Oarai. A flood of memories came to my mind, such as tough times I went through," Kanemoto said. Oarai is known as one of the toughest golf courses on the JGTO tour.
"My father had just told me that I had to win sometime soon," he said.
Kanemoto shot a 5-under 67 and Jones had a 69 in the final round before both players made pars in the first two extra holes.
Yokomine triumphs
ICHIHARA, Chiba Pref. (Kyodo) In-form Sakura Yokomine shot a 1-under 71 to clinch her second title of the season at the Kosaido Ladies Golf Cup on Sunday.
Teeing off with a three-shot cushion after matching a career-low 64 on Saturday, Yokomine knocked down two birdies against a bogey at Chiba Kosaido Country Club to finish two strokes clear of Chie Arimura on 13-under 203.
Yokomine's win added to her Studio Alice Ladies Open triumph in April and she has now finished in the top 10 nine times in 10 starts this season.
"My initial goal is to get at least three victories this season and I think I have a chance of winning in every tournament, so I will keep on doing my best," Yokomine said.