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Asia Pacific Open Golf Championship Diamond Cup Golf 2019

50 years old, but "youngest" in the group on Round 1, Taichi Teshima finishes at tied for 4th

Taichi Teshima at age 50, who made a Senior debut with a victory this season is doing also well on the regular tour with the score of 2 under 69 for Round 1 at the Sobu CC.

He doesn't have the drive for a show, but at difficult Sobu CC, distance is not a key say Taichi.
"Hitting a long drive is not the key here. So, I planned smart to get around the course. Didn't go for the green and played from front of it, and so forth. I like fast and firm greens. Also, this course has lots of dog leg right holes, so I kept my plan not to use the 1W and chose 3W to stay out of the roughs."

27 years as professional, his tactics worked and manage to make a great start. He got off with a victory this season on the Senior Tour. But next week on the regular tour's Token Homemate Cup, he was defeated badly.
"I thought I could do well there too, but I guess I was big headed."
He grouped with W.J.Lee and Yujiro Oohori, both the big driving players in the tour.
"My driver distance was about the same as their 2 Iron distance. I was shown my reality."
Playing amongst the long hitters made Taichi literary shrink, and he failed to make the cut.

"I got really disappointed and depressed" he recalls, but this week he was the youngest amongst the 3-player group. He was with 53 years old Prayad Marksaeng and 51 years old Toru Taniguchi today. Older but, Prayad is the Order of Merit titleholder of the Senior Tour for 3 years in a row, and Toru has done the eldest V20 last year at Japan Pro. But Taichi was able to outscore both today.

"Prayad drove 330 yards on the 8th today. I was 40 yards behind."
That Prayad told Taichi that he will concentrate on Senior Tour from next season since his distance is not enough for the regular tour, Taichi and Toru burst into laughter.
"If your distance is not enough, what should we do?"
Tough round, but great playing mate made a up mood atmosphere.

As a rookie in the Senior Tour, he will also make a debut at the US Senior Major, "Senior PGA Championship" from May 23rd.
"Prayad and Toru will be there too."
Hope that Major will be a great challenge too.