Takayama turns back the clock to set opening pace with Inamori

Fit-again Tadahiro Takayama turned back the clock to join Yuki Inamori as early pace-setters after the opening round of the inaugural Yokohama Minato Championship - Fujiki Centennial in Kanagawa on Thursday.

The 45-year-old traded eight birdies against a single bogey en route to a six-under-par 65 at the Yokohama Country Club, sharing the top spot with Inamori, who mixed an eagle and five birdies with a bogey.

The duo hold a one-shot lead over Kazuya Koura and Kenta Endo.

What made the 45-year-old Takayama's feat even more impressive was that it was his first start after nearly two months off due to an intercostal rupture.

Takayama ruptured his intercostal muscles on the first day of the ABEMA Tour's Japan Create Challenge in Fukuokaraizan in June, but he still went on to play in the second round.

He demonstrated his tenacity by playing with one hand and still managed to shoot a commendable one-under in the first nine holes. However, his patience had its limits.

"I couldn't take the clubs back at all," he recounted, as he was forced to withdraw midway through the second round.

Over the past two months, he had exhausted all possible treatments - ultrasound, icing, and microcurrent. These seemed to work well as he made a strong start right after his return.

"It was so unexpected! I'm really, really surprised," said Takayama, who's in his 25th year of professional golf.

Takayama has certainly been an exemplary figure when it comes to perseverance. Despite being hit by a series of health and injury issues in recent years, he never backs down.

He returned to the course on a medical exemption in the 2020-21 season after an eye disease had kept him off for two years. He also developed fasciitis around June last year.

"Every year I get injured or sick, but when I come back, I enjoy being able to play golf. I just can't help but enjoy it," he said.

Lee Sang-hee of South Korea, shooting a 68, is the best-placed international competitor in joint-eighth.

Last week's Japan PGA Tour champion Kensei Hirata and Keita Nakajima, currently second-placed in the money list, are among the 16 players sitting in a tie for 12th after opening with match 69s.

Leading first round scores:

65: Tadahiro Takayama, Yuki Inamori;

66: Kazuya Koura, Kenta Endo;

67: Yuwa Kosaihira, Ryo Katsumata, Shota Matsumoto;

68: Eric Sugimoto, Riki Kawamoto, Wataru Ishikawa, Lee Sang-hee (Kor);

69: Hiroki Tanaka, Keita Nakajima, Kosuke Suzuki, Ryosuke Kinoshita, Song Young-han (Kor), Kensei Hirata, Naoyuki Kaneda, Takumi Murakami, Takashi Ogiso, Yu Morimoto, Satoshi Hara, Shugo Imahira, Yujiro Ohori, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Dylan Perry (Aus).