Golf: Smail nails pain for victory

The pain New Zealand golfer David Smail feels in his back eased somewhat yesterday when he won for the second time within a month in Japan.

Smail birdied the final hole for a closing round of five-under 67 to finish the $1.43 million Bridgestone Open on 16-under 272, two shots clear of Japan's Toru Suzuki, who signed off with a final round of 66 at the Sodegaura Country Club in Chiba.

His sixth career title has him pocketing $270,000 barely four weeks after he banked a cheque of $310,000 for winning the Acom International in Ogawa.

Both victories were achieved despite a collapsed disc in his lower spine that in recent months has forced Smail to manipulate his swing, rearrange his playing schedule, follow a strict exercise regime and swallow anti-inflammatory painkillers to dull the discomfort.

But that was the least of his worries yesterday when the 2001 New Zealand Open champion set off in a share of the overnight lead with Japan's Yusaku Miyazato.

Smail made the best possible start by posting birdies at the opening two holes to apply the early pressure and remained on top of his game with birdies on the seventh, 10th and 15th holes. He rode his luck on the 15th when he duffed a chip from an awkward lie only to watch the ball hit the pin and drop from sight.

"It was a tough little chip sitting against the grain. It was the sort you are conscious of not leaving short," Smail said.

"Had it missed it would have rolled 20 feet past the pin, but we all need a little luck now and again."

He coughed up a shot by three-putting the 17th to reduce his advantage to one heading up the last, which he birdied to double the cushion.

Smail's fifth top-10 finish in Japan this season will push him into the top five on the tour rankings. He began the Bridgestone Open in seventh place with tournament income this season of $666,500.

The matter-of-fact Smail believed the result further vindicated his decision not to seek a surgical solution to a back injury which first flared as he prepared for the British Open at St Andrews in July.

He feels he is improving physically and is confident he will be able to play through the difficulty. "I am definitely getting better. I didn't feel too much pain today.

"I hardly get any pain now, only when I'm tired or when I wake up in the mornings. But that's more related to the muscles in my lower back.

"I'm starting to build up some strength in my back now and am getting more flexible."

Smail also revealed he had also been troubled of late by an old shoulder problem, related to a rotator cuff injury suffered some years ago. "I'm a mess, really," he joked.

"I've torn it a couple of times. It's been a bit tight and I've been getting some massage on that.

"I still felt it a bit today but it didn't affect my swing at all."

Smail is now heading back to New Zealand for a two-week break at his home in Hamilton before returning to Japan for a swing of four tournaments to complete his season there.

- NZPA