Toshimitsu Izawa will team up with Shigeki Maruyama for host Japan and face the American pair of Tiger Woods and David Duval on the opening day of the World Cup golf competition in Shizuoka Pref., organizers said Thursday.
Izawa, who finished tied for fourth at the U.S. Masters in April for his best finish in a major, became the first-choice Japanese player for the Nov. 15-18 tourney when he placed 36th in the world rankings released Sept. 10 and has chosen Maruyama as his partner.
Two share lead
GOTEMBA, Shizuoka Pref. (Kyodo) Taiwan's Lin Keng-chi rolled in four birdies on both sides of an 8-under-par 64 on Thursday to grab a share of the first-round lead in the 140 million yen Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters golf tournament with American Christian Pena.
Lin, picking up where he left off in winning last week's ANA Open, wielded the hot putter on his bogey-free trek over the Taiheiyo Club's 7,232-yard, par-72 Gotemba Course for his share of the lead.
Second-year pro Hidemasa Hoshino is in a five-way tie one shot off the pace, while Japanese World Cup team member Toshimitsu Izawa joins Masashi Ozaki, England's Brian Davis and four other players at 6-under 66.