Japan Airlines Open

Japan Airlines Open
Tournament information
LocationJapan
Established1971
Tour(s)Japan Golf Tour
FormatStroke play
Final year1972
Tournament record score
Aggregate277 David Graham (1971)
277 Masashi Ozaki (1971)
To par−11 as above
Final champion
South Africa Gary Player

The Japan Airlines Open was a professional golf tournament in Japan in the early 1970s. The event was founded in 1971.[1]

History

The first event was held at the Fuchu Country Club near Tokyo, Japan.[1] A number of notable international golfers played the event, including England's Tony Jacklin,[1] Australia's David Graham, and Australia's Graham Marsh.[2] David Graham was four shots back entering the final round but shot a "nearly flawless" 68 (−4) and wound up tied with Japan's Jumbo Ozaki at the end of regulation. Graham and Ozaki then competed in a 3-hole playoff; both remained tied at the end of it. They then competed in a sudden-death playoff. They were still tied after the first two holes of sudden death. On the third sudden-death playoff hole (and 6th overall) Graham made a tap-in birdie before Ozaki missed an 8-foot birdie putt.[2]

The second event was held at Narashino Country Club in Inzai, Japan.[3] Again there were a number of notable international golfers at the event. Among the 88 competitors were South Africa's Gary Player, Australia's Graham Marsh, and Australia's Peter Thomson.[3] Player won the event, getting up and down from a bunker on the final hole to win by one over a number of golfers, including Thomson.[4]

Winners

Year Winner Score To par Margin of
victory		 Runner(s)-up Winner's
share (¥)		 Venue Ref
1972 South Africa Gary Player 280 −8 1 stroke Taiwan Lu Liang-Huan
Japan Tōru Nakamura
Australia Peter Thomson
Japan Haruo Yasuda 		2,000,000 Narashino Country Club [5][6]
1971 Australia David Graham 277 −11 Playoff Japan Masashi Ozaki 1,100,000 Fuchu Country Club [2]

References

  1. ^ a b c "JAL golf". The Canberra Times. AAP-Reuter. 23 March 1971. p. 23. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Graham's Golf Title". The Canberra Times. AAP-Reuter. 17 May 1971. p. 13. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Player in golf field". The Canberra Times. AAP-Reuter. 11 May 1972. p. 32. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  4. ^ "Golf win". The Canberra Times. AAP-Reuter. 15 May 1972. p. 15. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Player wins Japan golf". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. AP. 15 May 1972. p. 19. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  6. ^ McCormack, Mark H. (1973). The World of Professional Golf 1973. Collins. pp. 312, 517–518. ISBN 0002119463.