Hiroyuki Fujita Finishes Runner-Up at US Senior Open After a 4-Hole Playoff

Read the full story on SportsLook - Hiroyuki Fujita Finishes Runner-Up at US Senior Open After a 4-Hole Playoff

With a three-shot lead and eight holes remaining on Sunday, June 30 in the final round of the US Senior Open, Japan's Hiroyuki Fujita looked on the way to victory and the $800,000 USD (¥129.3 million JPY) prize for first place.

However, severe weather in the form of heavy rain and lightning intervened, postponing the rest of the round at the Newport Country Club in Newport, Rhode Island, until Monday morning, July1.

Unfortunately for Fujita, the delay caused him to lose his momentum and he ended up falling to Britain's Richard Bland on the fourth hole of a dramatic playoff on the 7,024-yard course near Narragansett Bay.

Hiroyuki Fujita Struggles After Play Resumes

When play resumed Monday, the 55-year-old Fujita bogeyed three of the first four holes but hung on to force the playoff with par on the 18th hole after Bland made bogey.

Bland carded a four-under 66 in the fourth round, while Fujita shot a 1-over as both finished at 13-under par.

The playoff format at the US Senior Open calls for a two-hole aggregate score. Bland and Fujita both parred the first two holes, then each made bogey on the third hole when the playoff became sudden death.

Continue reading the full story on SportsLook.

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Author: Jack Gallagher

The author is a veteran sports journalist and one of the world's foremost figure skating experts. Find articles and podcasts by Jack on his author page, and find him on X (formerly Twitter) @sportsjapan.