Defending Champion (year 2019) of this week's Asia Pacific Diamond Cup Golf, Yosuke Asaji will be in the same group as Ryo Ishikawa and an amateur Ren Yonezawa from Tohoku Fukushi University for the first 2 rounds. Due to the cancellation last year, Yosuke's challenge for the 2-peat had to wait a full year.

The venue, Sagamihara GC is his home ground course since his junior days.
"The course is so narrow, and greens are elevated. If the greens get firm the course will be very tough. So, the tee shots are the key for good performance. You must get the ball on the fairway and aim at the center of the green, you will have chances."

Yosuke went for a practice round with Jinichiro Kozuma and checked out the points critical for the management strategy. Yosuke has been very close to winning for the past 2 tournaments. He started out as one of the co-leaders at The Crowns and finished at 5th. Then last week at Japan Players Championship, he was at 2T to start on Sunday but plunged to 34T.

"I really got depressed on that Sunday. I am still a bit tired from past 2 tournaments, but I think my game is getting better, so I want to finally accomplish to win this week."

Yosuke is being very careful about the infection, so he hasn't gone home to his family for a while. He has been missing the precious time to spend with his 1-year-old son. He has been talking to his wife every day to check on his baby boy's growth.

"He might have started to talk now."

2 years ago, he has won his first ever Tour victory on the Mother's Day. He was raised by a single mom, and Yosuke was so happy that he was able to show his appreciation to his mother by winning. This year, Mother's Day was last Sunday.
"I have thought of sending her a champagne but couldn't find the time to do so. She was also away to another house, so I wasn't able to see her either. I wish I could win and defend my title and give my mother a belated Mother's Day gift this coming Sunday."