Jbe’ Kruger produced a superb bogey-free closing round of eight-under-par 64 on Sunday to finish in a share of fifth in the Japan Golf Tour’s Mizuno Open at JFE Setonaikai Golf Club in Kasaoka, Okayama, Japan.
He moved to a tournament total of 14-under, and that put him three shots out of the play-off which was won on the third extra play-off hole by Kensei Hirata over Japanese countryman Keita Nakajima.
Kruger started his charge with consecutive birdies on the first and second holes, and he made two more ahead of the turn. He made three more on the homeward nine, and shared fifth with Taiga Semikawa of Japan, two shots behind the two players who were in a share of third.
Kruger’s charge left him just two shots out of playing his way into the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool in July.
Shaun Norris was also in the field, and he finished in a share of 28th after a closing two-under-par 70 took him to six-under for the tournament.
