Consecutive rounds of 65 in the second and third rounds thrust Quayle into the lead through 54 holes, a maiden tour title beckoning in just his second season in Japan.

He showed no sign of Sunday nerves to be 4-under on his round through 12 holes and clinging to a one-shot advantage but two late bogeys saw Quayle finish the tournament at 17-under, three shots shy of Korea’s Kyung-Tae Kim.

The prize money of ¥13,600,000 (approx. $183,000) thrust Quayle into 29th position on the moneylist, just inside the cut-off for the elite 30-man field that will contest this week’s Golf Nippon Series JT Cup at the Tokyo Yomiuri Country Club.

Other Australians to have qualified are Brendan Jones (17th), Brad Kennedy (26th) and Matthew Griffin (27th), the first time four Aussies have qualified for Japan’s tour championship since 2004, Paul Sheehan’s victory hopefully a good omen for the 2019 contingent.

Quayle and Griffin were both intending to be in Sydney this week for the Australian Open but will extend their season in Japan for one more week to compete for the ¥130,000,000 prize purse.

Dylan Perry’s superb final round of 6-under 66 – including a run of seven straight birdies from the third hole – elevated him into a tie for 18th and 36th position on the moneylist, guaranteeing a full card for the 2020 season.

Won Joon Lee (48th), David Bransdon (49th) and New Zealand’s Michael Hendry (58th) all did enough to finish inside the top 60 on the moneylist and ensure they will return to the Japan Golf Tour with full status next year.

In other events around the world Jake McLeod was the sole Aussie representative at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa but failed to make the cut while Peter Fowler was tied for 20th at the Staysure Tour’s MCB Tour Championship in Madagascar.

Japan Golf Tour
Casio World Open
Kochi Kuroshio Country Club, Kochi

3              Anthony Quayle 71-65-65-70—271             ¥13,600,000
T18         Dylan Perry         71-71-69-66—277             ¥2,520,000
T49         Brad Kennedy   71-71-70-71—283             ¥546,000
T53         Won Joon Lee   69-74-71-70—284             ¥496,000
T57         David Bransdon  72-71-71-72—286             ¥464,500
MC         Brendan Jones  71-73—144
MC         Michael Hendry  73-71—144
MC         Adam Bland        77-75—152

European Tour
Alfred Dunhill Championship
Leopard Creek CC, Malelane, South Africa

MC         Jake McLeod      74-74—148

Staysure Tour
MCB Tour Championship – Madagascar
International Golf Club Du Rova, Andakana, Madagascar

T20         Peter Fowler      77-70-71—218   €3,686