Hiroyuki Fujita finished his 1st Round with the score of 66, sharing the top seat of the leader board with Shugo Imahira and H W Ryu.

"I was having difficulties with my short games and putts. But I think I found the solutions and it led to this score today."

The course has big and wavy greens, but Hiroyuki made it seem so easy to putt. On 13th, he made the 10-meter birdie putt from the edge of the green. Then on 14th, he drained the 4-meter right to left line, and on 15th he smoothly made the 12-meter left to right long putt and got himself 3 birdies in a row.

He is turning 50 on June 16 and says that he is "getting old".
"I feel old day by day and I hate that. My back hurts, I can't get up in the mornings, and my eye are getting really old."

He uses farsighted glasses regularly now, but he wants someone to make the glasses to read the greens as well. He has been using yellow colored ball from this season, which makes it easier to see the ball in bad weather conditions. He also started to draw lines on his balls. Which helped him realize that his stance for the putting was not square as he thought.

During off times, he trains 2 days a week, and started to take time for physical care after he got over 40. He also finds time for his fishing hobby and plans to take the license for cruiser next month.

When he became the Order of Merit titleholder in his mid-40's back in 2012, he felt that he should not be out played by the young ones. But that has all changed. He played along with a high school amateur today and recalled, "He was only 2 years different from my son, he was playing really well, and I really wanted to cheer for him".

At The Crowns, he was motivated by not only the dramatic victory by Miyamoto, but also that his master, Serizawa making the cut for the first time in 7 years. He will be challenging the 36-hole final qualifier for the US Open next Monday.
"I will be 50 soon, so it will be my last chance, and I want to enjoy and make best out of my final regular tour life."
Older but wiser, Hiroyuki seems to be enjoying golf more than ever.