The Japan Golf Tour is in Miyazaki on the eastern coast of the southern island of Kyushu for this week s Dunlop Phoenix Tournament at the Phoenix Country Club. The event has been part of the Japan Golf Tour since 1973 and has been won by some of the great names of the modern era of golf including Johnny Miller, Seve Ballesteros, Tom Watson, Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington. This year Ryo Ishikawa will probably start favourite following his win at the Visa Taiheiyo last week. Ishikawa has yet to win this event but he did finish runner-up in 2008 suggesting that the course holds no real fears for him. Luke Donald is in the field and as the world number three he will start as the favourite with the bookies if not the Japanese public. Donald finished 18th at the recent HSBC Champions event and was 3rd in his two previous starts. Nicolas Colsaerts was one of the heroes of the European Ryder Cup side and has developed into such a good player this year that his chances of a victory to go with his Volvo Match Play Championship are good. Colsaerts has won in Asia previously when winning the Volvo China Open eighteen moths ago. The Australians in the field are headed by Brendan Jones who finally got the hang of this layout last year when he finished 5th. It had not previously been a happy hunting ground for Jones but he as a two time winner this year and with his improved showing in 2011 he might do well. Only one Australian has won the Dunlop Phoenix, that victory coming in 1976 when Graham Marsh was successful. Several others get their chance this week including Brad Kennedy, Kurt Barnes, Steve Conran, Paul Sheehan and Neven Basic along with New Zealander David Smail.
Author: Bruce Young / iseekgolf.com