The aptly-surnamed Shinichi won the final Hong Kong leg of the Mizuno Dream Cup at the end of January, a result that earns him a berth into final qualifying for the Mizuno Open Championship -Yomiuri Classic, a Japan Golf Tour event held at the end of May. Whoever triumphs there will earn a much coveted spot at Sandwich in July. Nagoya-born Shinichi, a Hong Kong international, seen here with the Japanese sports brand’s Ken Takafuku, fired a 76 over the Eden Course at the Hong Kong Golf Club to finish ahead of junior Ambrose Tam (81), Chu Koon-ching (81) and Derick Leung (90). Like Shinichi, Tam qualified for the four-man field courtesy of a high finish at the Mizuno Winter Junior Championship. Chu and Leung earned their places after performing well at Mission Hills during the first Hong Kong leg of the Dream Cup. Despite the margin of his victory, Shinichi didn’t have everything go his way, especially after Chu, a senior, birdied four of the first eight holes to take the lead. A disastrous eight at the par-3 9th ruined Chu’s hopes however, and the long-hitting Mizuno, the only amateur to play in last year’s UBS Hong Kong Open, was able to cruise to victory.
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