Toru Taniguchi took a step closer to winning the elusive Japan PGA Matchplay Championship title by defeating former champion Naomichi Ozaki on Friday to advance to the quarterfinals of the 80 million yen tournament.
In other second-round matches, Frankie Minoza of the Philippines won 3 and 2 over this season's top money earner Hidemichi Tanaka while Tsuyoshi Yoneyama, who knocked out Shingo Katayama on Thursday, also heads into Saturday's quarterfinals after defeating Kenichi Kuboya 2 and 1.
American Dean Wilson downed Keiichiro Fukabori 4 and 3.
Sakagami leads
KAWAGUCHIKO, Yamanashi Pref. (Kyodo) Harumi Sakagami put her injury worries behind her in firing a 3-under-par 68 to set the early pace after the first round of the Fujisankei Ladies Classic on Friday.
Sakagami, whose thigh injury has limited her to appearing in only a handful of tournaments this season, made three birdies on the back nine of the Fujizakura Country Club's 6,297-yard, par-71 course to take a one-stroke lead over a quintet of golfers tied for second.