International Series Japan Round 2

Date
Thu 2nd April 2026 (UTC)
Fri 3rd April 2026 (Local)

Timestamp
2026-04-02T22:00:00

Time

22:00:00 UTC (07:00:00 Local)

Poster

Your Rating (Click a star below)

Star off icon

Total Rating
(0 users)

Thumb

Square Poster

League
Asian Tour

Season
2026

Round
3

Status
Match Finished

Location

Video Highlights

Play on YouTube

Event Statistics

Description

The second round at Caledonian Golf Club in Chiba introduces a shift in conditions as local forecasts predict incoming rain, potentially softening the "glass-like" greens. The primary challenge for the field is adjusting to the changing green speeds while navigating the course's notoriously deep bunkers. The objective for overnight leader Hongtaek Kim is to maintain his aggressive rhythm from Round 1, while the chasing pack—including Younghan Song and Shugo Imahira—looks to exploit the receptive morning surfaces.

Strategically, the round is a test of fairway management. The objective for the players is to keep the ball in the "short grass" to maximize control into the tiered greens, as the damp conditions are expected to reduce overall driving distance. The goal for those on the bubble is to remain patient and scramble for pars, with the cut line projected to fall around 1-under-par. With a $2,000,000 prize fund on the line, the tactical focus for the leaders is to capitalize on the par-5 scoring opportunities, specifically at the 6th and 18th holes, which served as the primary momentum-shifters during the opening day.

Reports

Result List

Result Description

Hongtaek Kim (KOR) remains the man to beat in Chiba, carding a steady 4-under-par 67 to reach 11-under-par total at the halfway stage. Despite an early bogey on the 3rd hole, Kim demonstrated "remarkable resilience," rallying with five birdies to maintain a one-stroke cushion. His objective of finding fairways was largely successful, though he noted a mid-round adjustment was necessary to maintain his ball-striking consistency as the air became heavier.

The leaderboard saw significant movement as local favorite Shugo Imahira (JPN) and India’s Karandeep Kochhar both fired rounds of 65 to move into a tie for second at 10-under-par. Imahira’s round was highlighted by two eagles—at the 6th and 18th holes—thrilling the home gallery. Karandeep Kochhar remains the only player in the field to stay bogey-free through 36 holes. Meanwhile, former LIV Golf player Yubin Jang carded the low round of the week, a stunning 8-under-par 63, to jump into a tie for fourth at 9-under-par alongside Younghan Song. The cut ultimately fell at 1-under-par, with notable veteran Jeev Milkha Singh making his first Asian Tour cut since 2024, while Richard T. Lee saw his streak of 25 consecutive cuts made come to an end.

Collections
None found...

Popular Tweets

Fanart
No Fanart thumb