Toru Taniguchi and Kaname Yokoo, both in the hunt for their first tour victory of the season, advanced to the final of the Japan PGA Matchplay Championship with semifinal victories Saturday.
Taniguchi, runnerup in 1999, won 5-and-3 over Hajime Meshiai at the Nidom Classic Course in Hokkaido while Yokoo edged Nobuo Serizawa 2-up over the 6,958-yard course in rainy conditions.
Taniguchi, seeking his second career title, took the first hole with a birdie to open the semifinal and added another on No. 13 before taking the next two holes for the win.
The 32-year-old Taniguchi won 2-and-1 over leading money-winner Nobuhito Sato in a quarterfinal match earlier in the day.
Yokoo came from two holes down by winning four of the last seven holes and securing his 2-up victory over Serizawa with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 17 and 18.
"I was fairly pleased with my golf today, even though I made a couple of bogeys," Yokoo said. "I knew I was home and dry after sinking the birdie on the 17th."
Hirase takes lead
KAWAGUCHIKO, Yamanashi Pref. (Kyodo) Mayumi Hirase fired a 3-under-par 68 on Saturday to grab sole possession of the lead and a two-stroke advantage over Aiko Hashimoto after the second round of the Fujisankei Ladies Classic.
Hirase, who won back-to-back money titles on the Japan LPGA Tour in 1993 and 1994, sank birdie putts on Nos. 2, 5 and 13 in a bogey-free trek at Fujizakura Country Club for a two-round total of 6-under 136.