Preview & Tips by Halfway House

Following a successful 2023 ISPS Handa held at Omitama, we return to Japan and to a new host, the Taiheiyo Club, Gotemba course, around 200km south-east of last year's event.

It may be a new track for this event, but Gotemba is a well-worn path for the co-sanctioned and Asian tous, even hosting the 2001 World Cup of Golf, at which Ernie Els and Retief Goosen held off a multi-talented set of pairings in a tight play-off.

However, of much more relevance is the Taiheiyo Masters, held here since 1977, a tournament that has seen multiple winners in the shape of Lee Westwood, Toshimitsu Izawa, Darren Clarke, Ryo Ishikawa, Shingo Katayama, Hideto Tanihara and Hideki Matsuyama. The latter, winner as an amateur in 2011 and again as a full-timer in 2016, smashed the scoring record, winning by seven shots in 23-under.

The hillside course has a mixed reputation, often regarded as one of the most picturesque in the country, with "majestic fairway views of Mount Fuji," an opinion that is negated by Planet Golf's review that the course is "an all-or-nothing affair."

The event, usually held in the latter part of the season, has seen recent winning scores of between 6-under and 13-under, and with cloud and some rain in the forecast, perhaps this can again be the real tee-to-green test that Japanese golf always threatens.

There is a hint of major-class form in previous winners, and while this lot may be a grade or two away from the elite of the game, the field contains the runaway Indian open champion and former world amateur number one, Keita Nakajima, one of three Japanese players to hold the top spot. While Matsuyama understandably doesn't take part, Takumi Kanaya joins in, making this a very strong home challenge.

The Taiheiyo Masters is clearly a massive pointer to course suitability and,while many of the top finishers there have form at the Diamond Cup, that event takes place on a variety of tracks. 

 

 

 

  

Plenty of our usual European Tour suspects arrive with claims to the top prize. However, despite their form and suitability for the course, a few of them keep struggling to get over the line (Smith, Paul, Syme and Luiten to name just four), whilst the likes of Adrian Otaegui, with tree-lined course form in abundance, have never seen this course, let alone played much in Japan.

 

Instead, I'll take a chance with a trio of mid-range shots. 

 

31-year-old Shugo Imahira is the typical experienced home player that is likely to give a good run against the better-known names, particularly given the evidence in his back-form.

 

Twice winner of the Japan Tour money list, the main selection is a nine-time winner on his home circuit, with two wins in the last 12 months, and four in total when extending that time period by another year.

  

Course form works very well, with progressive form since turning pro in 2015, the last three outings seeing him progress from 23rd at the Taiheiyo Masters in 2021, through 19th in 2022 and his first victory here in November last year. 

 

Taking the lead after a third round 65, the diminutive Japanese star comfortably held on by a single stroke from Taiki Yoshida, who earlier in the year had finished the same distance behind his rival when both recording top-10 finishes at The Crowns.  

 

That Nagoya form is equally as impressive, his last six outings reading 6/12/6/2/6/5, and although he's had a break since finishing 23rd on his first outing of the year, that 23rd place fits in nicely with his last two victories, both coming after mid-20 finishes.

 

Very accurate from tee-to-green, I was hoping for anything over 55/1 today and whilst the early 90/1 has gone, current prices appeal in spades.

 

There is an awful lot of similarity between Ryo Ishikawa and Matteo Manessaro, and, although in different ways, both look overpriced given their individual claims to the title.

 

Both the 30-something-year-olds were considered the 'second coming' back in their teens. Ishikawa was the youngest ever winner of a Japanese tour event, whilst Matteo broke all records when becoming the youngest winner of the British Amateur, youngest to ever make the cut at the Masters, and youngest and second-youngest winner on the European Tour, winning three events before the age of 20.

 

When winning his fourth event at Wentworth in 2013, Manessero established himself within the top-50 in the world before losing his game completely, ending up ranked outside the world's top 1000 in 2019.

 

Freely admitting that he is a different player to that 18-year-old, the former Masters and Open top amateur, has fought back admirably, re-setting himself on the Alps Tour before a pair of victories on the 2023 Challenge Tour proved he was back. 

 

That return was completed with a three-shot victory at Glendower 13 months ago, with runners-up, the multi-winning Thriston Lawrence, six-time Japan Tour winner Shaun Norris and Jordan Smith giving a genuine boost to the form.

 

After a warm-up in Singapore, the selection was an ever-present top five in India last time, that DLF form hinting he should have what it takes to get sround here without too much mishap.

 

With a bit of length but retaining his ability on tricky tracks, this looks to be a perfect fit for the Italian, something we know to be true about Ishikawa, 18 months his senior.

 

Much of the same can be said about the Japanese teenage star, who won The Crowns in 2010 with a final round 12-under 58, finished fourth to Adam Scott, Luke Donald and Rickie Fowler at the 2011 WGC Bridgestone, and finished top-five at the 2015 Players Championship.

 

It's never wise to look at 13 year-old form, but the selection is an 18-time winner in Japan, including and very significantly, with three wins around Gotemba, his final victory some 10 years after the second (2012).

 

2023 saw the 32-year-old record eight top-10 finishes, including runner-up at the Japan Open, fifth place at his home PGA, fourth at the Zozo (in a quality field behind Collin Morikawa) and ninth at the this track, behind Imahira.

 

He loves it here, as he does at The Crowns, where he boasts a victory in 2010, two top-12 finishes and three top-seven finishes, the best of which was a fourth place just 12 months ago.

 

As demonstrated recently enough, Ishikawa can hold his own at a higher level and back to what must be seen as a 'home' game, he has to be in the plan.

 

Given their love for the track, both Japanese players will go in the plan for top Asian player.