Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working hard on strengthening ties with Japan, the golfers from the Land of the Rising Sun are building their relationship with the Indians here.
The fifth edition of the Indo-Japanese Friendship Cup golf tournament played at the par-72 Coimbatore Golf Club (CGC) in Chettipalayam over the weekend served as the right platform for golfers from both the countries to blend and bond.
“We are a team of 20 and we are here to build our business relationship and friendship with golfers from this part of the region,” said Manabu Nishimura of Kobelco Construction Equipment India Pvt. Ltd.
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“We mostly play in Chennai but we came down to Coimbatore as a host because of its beautiful course and good people,” said Hiroto Shindo of MC Craftsman Machinery.
“The people here are very open and that’s why we keep coming here,” he added.
They said the Chennai course is more flat. “But this course is not only beautiful with mountain backdrop and birds, but also very challenging,” said Shinobu Tsuboi of Chola MS General Insurance.
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“Managing the course turned out to be very difficult. The wind was strong on Saturday but relatively calm on Sunday.
The Japan contingent had only a few ‘professional’ players. “True, but the rest of us are regular players in Chennai,” said Shigeru Wakabayashi of Isuzu Motors India. “Our scores may not be big but we definitely enjoyed playing here,” he added.