Brendan Jones has been on the Japan Tour since 2001. As the International players to win in the Japan Tour, he follows Graham Marsh's record of 20 wins, with already 14 victories. His total prize money adds up to more than 1 billion yen, only International player ever to reach that level.

Brendan marked 3 under and became a solo leader today, and he also marked 3 under and was the leader back in 2008. That was the year, same Koga GC was holding the Japan Golf Open Championship. He literary repeated his Round 1, 11 years later.

Koga GC is known for narrow fairways, deep nasty rough, and small slicky undulated greens.
"This course is difficult as it was 11 years ago. On other courses, we could hit our 1W to take advantage by the distance, but at Koga, you need to think. You must avoid the hazardous places and be wise to place the ball in the right spots. I think I have a pretty good course management plan here."

As Brendan said, only mistake he had today was at 16th. He had to hit out of the trees on the right and that shot ended up in the bunker and made bogey. The pin positions were making thing more unpleasant for the player already from Day 1.
"5th hole seemed to be too hard, but that is the Japan Golf Open Championship. Every other players are playing in same conditions, so I must keep my concentration and do my best."

That Brendan's concentration must have been the key to score the same 3 under on Day 1 as 11 years ago.

Rugby World Cup is going into the Final Stages from this weekend and on 20th, his home country Australia will be having the match with England. But Brendan, well known Japanophile says, "I am TEAM JAPAN. I am so excited that Japan has made into best 8. I really want to root for Japan."

11 years ago, Brendan was leading on Day 1 but at the end he finished as 3rd, 5 strokes behind the leader. Brendan hopes not to repeat that and claim his first Japanese Major title to his list of victories.