Taiga Semikawa and Taiga Nagano fired matching five-under-par 65 to seize the first round lead at the LOPIA Fujisankei Classic on Thursday.
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The duo have a one-shot cushion over Yusaku Hosono and Kohei Okada who signed for identical 66s on the demanding 7,424 yards, par-70 course at Fujizakura Country Club.
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Semikawa started his round on the back-nine 10, patiently with five straight pars before he caught fire with three straight birdies from the 15th to 17th hole. He dropped a shot on the first hole after turning in 31, but responded with birdies on holes five, six and seven to set the early pace.
“The pins were in really good spots today, and on 14, I was lucky the drop zone gave me a straightforward shot. I holed a lot of tricky par putts, which kept the momentum going,” said Semikawa.
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The 24-year-old, who recently switched to a new 60-degree wedge and lighter iron shafts, also credited the changes for his sharp approach play.
“The shafts are lighter and feel softer, which helps under pressure. On such a tough course, I didn’t expect to shoot this score. If I can repeat it tomorrow, I’ll impress myself. The rain will make it harder, but if I can pick up birdies on the par-fives, I’ll be happy,” added Semikawa.
Meanwhile, Nagano also found his early form with his equipment change, combining smart course management with confident ball-striking.
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“I changed all my irons and shafts to the new Titleist set. I’ve been struggling with my irons, and with the ball flying a bit more this week, it felt like the right time to start fresh. It’s worked out really well,” said Nagano.
“I’ve had a few top-10s this year, but I haven’t really been in the mix to win going into the final round. If I can stay near the lead through three rounds, I want to give myself a real chance on Sunday,” added the 22-year-old, who mixed his card with seven birdies and two bogeys.
