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Kuboya wins Panasonic Open after playoff

Veteran Kenichi Kuboya beat fellow Japanese Katumasa Miyamoto in a sudden-death playoff to lift his first title for five years at the Panasonic Open Japan. The pair were locked at 11 under par after both registered birdie fours at the 72nd hole of the Asian Tour event at Chiba Country Club, northeast of Tokyo. But Kuboya kept his cool to shoot a final day 64 and win the 150 million yen (approximately $1.37 million) event co-sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour as Miyamoto fired his playoff hole tee shot out of bounds and put his next into trouble before conceding. The 45-year-old Kuboya is a seven-time winner in Japan, but his last title came in 2012.

AFP / PETER MUHLY, PAUL ELLIS

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