Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Japan

SWEDEN-FINLAND GOLF CHALLENGE, 13 APRIL 2007

Venue:
Windsor Park G & C.C., Ibaraki Pref.
Team Result:
FCCJ 78.11 - SCCJ 78.78

A beautiful morning and great course welcomes the players (click image for bigger version)

RECAP

The players pose for a group photo before start of play (click image for bigger version)

For the sixth time the competition was played at the Windsor Park Golf & Country Club near Mito in Ibaraki prefecture. The course was in excellent condition and the service at the club second to none.

The individual winner (best net) was Leif Nilsson (SCCJ) with a net 65. He also took the SCCJ Spring Golf Cup and one near pin. Second, with a net score of 68 was Kimio Hashida (FCCJ) and third Hiroaki Sakurai (FCCJ), 69. Anders Ryden (guest of SCCJ) had the best gross score, 84.

The winner of the FCCJ longest drive was Masaoki Fujita and the SCCJ longest drive trophy was won by Eiji Takagi.. Near pin winners where Bengt Jönsson (SCCJ), Johan Rugfelt (SCCJ), Kjell Groth (SCCJ) and Rick Brown (SCCJ).

We would like to thank the title sponsor Stora Enso Japan and Asian Tigers Worldwide Mowers and Windsor Park G & C.C for their contributions, as well as all the players who brought nice prizes to the competition, and to Finnair who ensured that we did not run out of beer at the party. Our thanks go also to the Windsor Park G & C.C., Jim Fletcher and all the other staff for again helping us making this a great event at very reasonable costs.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Pos.	Player	Company	Team	HCP	Gross	Net
1.	Leif Nilsson	SAS	SCCJ	23	88	65
2.	Kimio Hashida	Nokia Japan	FCCJ	22	90	68
3.	Hiroaki Sakurai	Vaisala K.K.	FCCJ	25	94	69
4.	Anders Ryden	Guest		10	84	74
5.	Anna-Maria Lehikoinen	Guest		18	93	75
6.	Hiroshi Muira	Metso Paper Japan K.K.	FCCJ	20	95	75
7.	Masahiro Kuroda	MPS	FCCJ	23	98	75
8.	Johan Rugfelt	Embassy Commercial Office	SCCJ	15	91	76
9.	Seppo Rantanen	Koitto K.K.	FCCJ	20	96	76
10.	Tsutomu Fujii	Vaisala K.K.	FCCJ	24	100	76
11.	Kalevi Lehikoinen	TeliaSonera	FCCJ	13	90	77
12.	Bengt Jönsson	Swedish Match	SCCJ	15	92	77
13.	Ian Hamilton	UPM-Kymmene Japan KK	FCCJ	18	95	77
14.	Kaj Forsell	Tekla K.K.	FCCJ	20	97	77
15.	Tuomo Kuuppo	Stora Enso Kapan	FCCJ	22	99	77
16.	Eiji Takagi	Biacore K.K.	SCCJ	9	87	78
17.	Toyoaki Uchida	UPM-Kymmene Japan KK	FCCJ	18	97	79
18.	Clas G. Bystedt	FCCJ	FCCJ	22	102	80
19.	Rick S. Brown	General Motors Asia Pasific	SCCJ	25	105	80
20.	Takeshi Yokoyama	Finnair	FCCJ	27	107	80
21.	Tomi Kuparinen	Nokia Japan	FCCJ	19	100	81
22.	Hirokuni Yoshida	Ourokumpu K.K.	FCCJ	28	109	81
23.	Yoshio Akamatsu	Biacore K.K.	SCCJ	16	99	83
24.	George Fujii	Inter Associates Japan	SCCJ	20	103	83
25.	Timo Varhama	UPM-Kymmene Japan KK	FCCJ	22	108	86
26.	Kjell Groth	AstraZeneca	SCCJ	22	108	86
27.	Jukka Viitanen	Tekes	FCCJ	25	111	86
28.	Hisatake Iwakura	Stora Enso Japan	FCCJ	28	114	86
29.	Hiroaki Sugawara	Finn Corporation	FCCJ	20	109	89
30.	Mats Person	Höganäs Japan K.K.	SCCJ	9	99	90
31.	Masaoki Fujita	Coil Center Fujita Co., Ltd.	FCCJ	22	112	90
32.	Stefan Gustafsson	IFS Japan	SCCJ	30	127	97
33.	Lennart Johansson	Individual member	SCCJ	30	127	97
34.	Harry Linnarinne	Finpro	FCCJ	30	131	101
35.	Eero Tammila	Finnair	FCCJ	20	N.R.	N.R.

Note: if players have same net, the one with lower handicap wins, if still same, the older player wins.

IMAGES FROM THE COMPETITION

The team captains, Eiji Takagi (SCCJ) and Timo Varhama (FCCJ) welcomes the players to the 11th cup.	Tuomo Kuuppo of Stora Enso Japan greets on behalf of the title sponsor.
Players lined up for instructions.	More players lined up for instructions.
Hirokuni Yoshida (FCCJ) tees off at No. 1.	Eiji Takagi (SCCJ) tees off at No. 1.
The next groups getting prepared.	Leif Nilsson tees off at No. 7.
Eiji Takagi shows a good swing at No. 9.	Not so nice swing, and from the wrong side!
Kjell Groth (SCCJ), Tuomo Kuuppo (FCCJ), Timo Varhama (FCCJ) and Johan Rygfelt (SCCJ) enjoying a short brak after nine holes..	Yoshio Akamatsu (SCCJ), Hiroshi Miura (FCCJ) and Kimio Hashida having a break..
Jukka Viitanen, Tomi Kuparinen and Toyoaki Uchida, all FCCJ.	"Eiji Takagi, Hirokuni Yoshida and the eventual winner, Leif Nilsson among the flowers.
Leif Nilsson's tee-shot at the par-3 15th.	Spring flowers to enjoy in case the swing does not work...
The first group approaching the club house on No. 18.	Hirokuni Yoshida follows his shot with some anxiety...
The photographer for once in front of the camera. Looks like the ball is a bit short...	New try with a much higher shot to avoid the 'water magnet', and stop the ball on the green (well timed shot by Leif Nilsson)
Approaching the last green.	Leif Nilsson and Eiji Takagi measuring up their putts.
The bunkers where difficult....
Hirokuni Yoshida finally on the green for his last putt.	The winner Leif Nilsson making his last putt.
The participants getting prepared for the party and prize ceremony.	Lining up for some nice food.
Johan Rugfelt goes for the salmon....	...while George Fujii sticks to the green.
Anna-Maria Lehikoinen also goes for salmon.	Tuomo Kuppo recons the plates are too small...
Ian Hamilton (FCCJ), Hiroaki Sakurai (FCCJ), Tsutomu Fujii (FCCJ) and Mats Persson (SCCJ)	Eero Tammila (FCCJ), Leif Nilsson (SCCJ) and Hirokuni Yoshida (FCCJ).
Kaj Forsell (FCCJ), Kalevi Lehikoinen (FCCJ), George Fujii (SCCJ), Seppo Rantanen (FCCJ) and Anna-Maria Lehikoinen (FCCJ)	Toyoaki Uchida, Jukka Viitanen, Tomi Kuparinen and Harry Linnarinne, all FCCJ.
Tuomo Kuuppo of Stora Enso Japan presents the winner, Leif Nilsson (SCCJ) with the individual winners plate.	Second, and best net for FCCJ player, Kimio Hashida
Third, Hiroaki Sakurai of FCCJ.	Eiji Takagi won the SCCJ longest drive.
Masaoki Fujita won the FCCJ longest drive.	The SCCJ team had perhaps better accuracy as they won all near pins. From left; Johan Rugfelt, Yoshio Akamatsu, Bengt Jonsson and Kjell Groth.
FCCJ team captain Timo Varhama receives the Stora Enso trophy from Tuomo Kuuppo.	Timo Varhama gives the winner's speech, depsite their loss, SCCJ team captain still smiles...