Quayle, De Los Santos eye early success at season-opening Token Homemate Cup

A revitalised Anthony Quayle is poised to pursue his elusive maiden JGTO breakthrough as he returns to Japan to compete in the season-opening Token Homemate Cup in Mie prefecture this Thursday.

During the offseason, the 29-year-old Australian took a hiatus from golf, immersing himself in his homeland.

He spent valuable time exploring his passion for the sea, even obtaining a boat license. This newfound interest has sparked his desire to acquire a jet ski of his own.

With anticipation building, Quayle understands that his aspirations could become reality as soon as this week, should he emerge victorious at the Token Tado Country Club Nagoya.

The winner of the ¥130,000,000 event will claim a lucrative ¥26,000,000 jackpot, approximately equivalent to AUD263,000.

"I took a couple of months off golf and I got my boat license. So I've been riding the jet ski, the boat and everything out on the water a fair bit back home," said Quayle, who's set for his sixth full season in Japan's top-flight circuit.

"I'm looking at purchasing jet ski at the moment, so a win this week might sort of help me purchase a nicer jet ski think.

"(During the offseason) Been spending some time with my girlfriend and her family, and yeah just enjoying life and not getting too worked up and having a good time."

Quayle's spirits are undoubtedly lifted following his impressive performance at the New Zealand Open earlier this month, where he secured a joint third-place finish in the PGA Tour of Australasia event.

Quayle has come close to victory on several occasions in the past, with notable runner-up finishes at events such as the 2018 The Crowns, the 2022 Gateway to The Open Mizuno Open, and most recently, the Shigeo Nagashima Invitational Sega Sammy Cup last year.

Quayle also impressed last season by clinching a joint third-place finish at the Shinhan Donghae Open in South Korea. However, his inconsistent results throughout the season led him to settle for a modest 33rd position on the JGTO Money Rankings.

However, Quayle is brimming with confidence, believing strongly in his ability to put on an impressive performance throughout the upcoming season.

"It was like an up and down year for me, Last year the results were pretty volatile and it was difficult to, I guess, stay optimistic when I'd have a good week and then such a terrible week straight after," said Quayle.

"So, I feel like, at the moment, the things that I'm doing in life and golf and the stuff that I'm working on is allowing me to introduce more consistency into my performances.

"I feel like I'll be able to go out and at least kind of do, regardless of what the result is, at least do what I feel is an adequate job and hopefully better with my processes and just sort of enjoying the game and just trying to read the game the best I can.

"I feel like I'm working on some good stuff and I hope that I see some of that come to fruition this year."

Joining Quayle with a similarly ambitious outlook is Filipino golfer Justin De Los Santos, who has emerged as a formidable contender on the JGTO circuit.

The 28-year-old De Los Santos has shown remarkable consistency, regularly advancing to weekend rounds throughout the past year. Despite that, he has yet to achieve the breakthrough victory he eagerly desires.

De Los Santos, a one-time ABEMA Tour winner, has come close to success with two notable top-five finishes. These include impressive showings at the For the Players by the Players and the Gateway to The Open Mizuno Open, both in 2022.

"Well, I feel like I am at least close to a win, and I obviously would like to get that this year," said De Los Santos.

"I really want to get off to a good start this year. I feel like in the past, I haven't really played well early in the year and I sort of had to catch up a little bit. I'm hoping this year I can get off to a faster start."

Shugo Imahira is set to defend his title this week, while Keita Nakajima, the prize money leader, is notably absent as he competes in the DP World Tour's Hero Indian Open in New Delhi.

Among the former winners competing this week is Michael Hendry of New Zealand, who claimed victory in 2015. Also in action are Takumi Kanaya (2021), Atomu Shgenaga (2018), Koumei Oda (2009, 2010), Katsumasa Miyamoto (2008), Toru Taniguchi (2002), and Shingo Katayama (2001).