Kaneko’s late birdie charge propels him to the summit at Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters

Kota Kaneko surged into the outright lead at the Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters after producing a brilliant late charge, firing back-to-back birdies on his closing two holes to sign for a five-under-par 65 on Friday.
 
The 23-year-old had looked set to share the halfway lead with Korea’s Lee Sang-hee, Mikumu Horikawa and Satoshi Kodaira, but his clinical finish saw him break free, reaching the weekend on an eight-under-par 132 total.
 
Reflecting on his round, Kaneko said the turning point came early when he finally found momentum on the demanding front nine.
 
“I didn’t have any birdies through the first five holes, but getting one on the difficult sixth really helped me find a good rhythm,” he explained. “I hit a great second shot, about 205 yards with a four-iron to two-and-a-half metres and rolled it in. It was exactly how I pictured it.”
 
Kaneko’s round received another boost at the par-four eighth, where he produced one of the shots of the day.
 
“I had about 165 yards and hit an 8-iron. I couldn’t see it, but I heard a little cheer. It didn’t sound like it went in. But when I got to the green, it was in the hole.”
 
That eagle propelled him confidently into the back nine, though Kaneko admitted the homeward stretch required patience.
 
“The back nine wasn’t that great, but I managed to hold things together.”
 
His resolve paid off at the closing stretch, where he weaved his putting magic. 
 
“I made a really good birdie on 17, and then carried that momentum into 18 for another one. It was a great way to finish.”
 
This week marks only Kaneko’s second appearance at the Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course, but he has quickly developed an affinity for the layout.
 
“I really like this course. The greens are fast, the course is beautiful, and it’s not overly long. This suits me well. Being able to post a good result on a course I like is a nice feeling.”
 
With the season entering its decisive final stretch, Kaneko is also firmly in the hunt in the Money Ranking, sitting second and well within reach of the season-long title. But he insists he is keeping his focus narrow despite the growing buzz.
 
“There’s still a long way to go and anything can happen by the final event. I just want to keep taking things one tournament at a time and play carefully.”
 
Leading second round scores
132 – Kota Kaneko 67-65
133 – Lee Sang-hee (Kor) 65-68, Mikumu Horikawa 66-67, Satoshi Kodaira 66-67
134 – Yusaku Hosono 67-67, Kazuki Higa 68-66
 
*All Japanese unless indicated otherwise