Top seed Toshimitsu Izawa needed an extra hole to defeat Shigemasa Higaki and squeeze through the first round of the JPGA Matchplay Championship on Thursday.
"Getting through the first round is a bit of a relief, but I need to pull myself together for the rest of the tournament," Izawa said.
Defending champion Dean Wilson of the United States also needed 19 holes for his 1-up victory over Katsuyoshi Tomori.
This season's leading money winner Nobuhito Sato edged past Shinichi Yokota 1-up while Shingo Katayama sank six birdies in cruising past Hideki Kase 4-and-3 for his first ever win in the tournament.
Former champion Naomichi Ozaki crashed out after a 1-hole defeat to New Zealander David Smail.