The Japan Airlines Open was a professional golf tournament in Japan in the early 1970s. The event was founded in 1971.[1]
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Japan |
| Established | 1971 |
| Tour(s) | Japan Golf Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Final year | 1972 |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 277 David Graham (1971) 277 Masashi Ozaki (1971) |
| To par | −11 as above |
| Final champion | |
 Gary Player | |
History edit
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 edit
| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up | Winner's share (¥) |
Venue | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Gary Player
|
280 | −8 | 1 stroke |  Lu Liang-Huan Tōru Nakamura Peter Thomson Haruo Yasuda
|
2,000,000 | Narashino Country Club | [5][6] |
| 1971 | David Graham
|
277 | −11 | Playoff | Masashi Ozaki
|
1,100,000 | Fuchu Country Club | [2] |
References edit
- ^ a b c "JAL golf". The Canberra Times. AAP-Reuter. 23 March 1971. p. 23. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- ^ a b c "Graham's Golf Title". The Canberra Times. AAP-Reuter. 17 May 1971. p. 13. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- ^ a b "Player in golf field". The Canberra Times. AAP-Reuter. 11 May 1972. p. 32. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- ^ "Golf win". The Canberra Times. AAP-Reuter. 15 May 1972. p. 15. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- ^ "Player wins Japan golf". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. AP. 15 May 1972. p. 19. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
- ^ McCormack, Mark H. (1973). The World of Professional Golf 1973. Collins. pp. 312, 517–518. ISBN 0002119463.