On October 10, a fine autumn day, the 42nd "Kyokuyo Open" golf tournament was held to celebrate the anniversary of the company's foundation. This golf tournament is played annually, and considered as one of the most important "Classics" among the Japanese Shipbuilding Industries, if you are kind enough to believe me.

The main purpose of the tournament is to promote mutual friendship or collaboratorship between Kyokuyo's staff and our "supporters", including suppliers, sub-contractors, shipowners, sushi chief and others, and, in line with it, an impressive number of players - no less than 80 (including a sushi chief) - are invited from Shimonoseki, Ehime, Tokyo, Korea and Singapore to Shimonoseki Golf Club, a prestigious course opened in 1956.

If you are a golf fan, the name of Shimonoseki Golf Club has certainly rung a bell. Yes, it is THE place where the 2002 PGA Japan Open was played. And, it was held only ONE week before our tournament! This means we could enjoy the exactly same course condition which was quite appropriate for our Classic Kyokuyo Open (yay!). The only thing we regret is such course was NOT appropriate for level of the skills of most of the players : "pro spec" ultra-fast greens and awfully narrow fairways, together with unusually deep roughs (for us) simply burst our bubbles, quite mercilessly.

Okay, now that believable excuses are made, I let you know the result : the winner is Mr. Aoki, from Kyokuto Kosan KK, and Mr. Yamahoka of Shinkai Industries Co., Ltd., took "best gross" prize with his admirable score of 85 (41+44). Note that while I sincerely admire his performance, some of the players (with 100+ score, notably) didn't, and gave him Bronx cheer during awarding ceremony claiming that such score could never be achieved by a good and seriously working business man(!)

Anyway, always in a quite friendly atmosphere, the 42nd Kyokuyo Open was finished with a speech of our CEO, Mr. Okamoto, explaining the company's new business strategy and asking all the guests to keep supporting Kyokuyo.

I really look forward the 43rd Kyokuyo Open, which is already fixed on October 10, 2003, at Shimonoseki Country Club. The Japan Open will be played somewhere else next year, you know, so I expect to a much better score for me, fairly reflecting my potential.

[2002/10/25]