Yuta Sugiura began his Japan PGA Championship title defence in impressive fashion, firing an opening-round eight-under-par 64 to seize the lead on Thursday.
Related: Yuta Sugiura ready to defend title at Japan PGA Championship
The 23-year-old will head into Friday’s second round at Sanko Golf Club with a two-shot cushion over Taiga Semikawa, who posted a solid 66.
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Sugiura had a shaky start, carding a bogey on the 10th hole – his only blemish of the day—as he teed off from the back nine. However, he quickly regained composure, stringing together four consecutive birdies starting at the 11th, and adding another on the 16th to make the turn at four-under 32.
“The bogey was a shock, but sinking a birdie putt on the second hole right after that was huge. Being able to bounce back so quickly made a big difference. I was making so many birdies that I didn’t feel tired. My spirits were lifted, and that helped cover any physical fatigue,” said Sugiura.
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He kept the momentum going on his inward nine, adding four more birdies to finish the day atop the leaderboard.
“My putting was really solid today. As for my approach shots, I was worried about missing left, so I kept missing right, especially with the driver. On the final hole, I decided to swing with confidence, and it went straight. I didn’t hesitate. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with my swing, so if I can keep hitting my tee shots without fear tomorrow, I feel like I’ll be able to play more consistently,” added Sugiura.
