Japanese stars Tetsuji Hiratsuka, Kenichi Kuboya and last season's Asian Tour Rookie of the Year Masanori Kobayashi have signed up for the inaugural US$750,000 Chiang Mai Golf Classic next month.
The talented trio will join Asian history-maker YE Yang of Korea and Thai legend Thongchai Jaidee in the Asian Tour's newest tournament which will be held at the impressive Alpine Golf Resort-Chiangmai from March 28 to 31, 2013.
The 41-year-old Hiratsuka, who is a six-time winner in Japan, is one of the most successful Japanese players on the Asian Tour, which will be celebrating its 10th season throughout 2013. After earning his Tour card from Qualifying School in 2009, the powerful Japanese ace went on to win three tournaments in 2010 to finish third on the Order of Merit and subsequently claimed a fourth title on the region's premier Tour in 2011.
A neck injury slowed down his charge last season but Hiratsuka is all geared up for another successful campaign ahead and will be targeting the Chiang Mai Golf Classic, which is a full-field Asian Tour tournament, as his two wins in Asia were achieved at the Queen's Cup and Black Mountain Masters in Thailand three years ago.
"I'm very comfortable playing in Thailand and I'm looking forward to the Chiang Mai Golf Classic. I was struggling with a neck injury last year but it has become a lot better now, so I hope to start playing well again in 2013," said Hiratsuka, who finished 96th on the rankings last season.
Kobayashi produced a memorable rookie season on the Asian Tour. After earning his card from Qualifying School, he won the Asia Pacific Panasonic Open, jointly sanctioned with the Japan Golf Tour, on home soil and added two other top-10s to finish fourth on the Order of Merit.
He signed up for the Asian Tour after watching Hiratsuka achieve success in the region and is now looking forward to adding a second career title at the Chiangmai Golf Classic: "My goal this season is to win one title on the Asian Tour and another title in Japan. I'm looking forward to visiting Chiangmai for the first time."
Kuboya, 40, holds six Tour victories in Japan, enjoying his biggest career victory when he triumphed in the Japan Open last season.
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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2013/02/28/japanese-stars-say-yes-to-chiang-mai-golf-classic/
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