Brendan is back in Japan for this week's Gateway to the Open Mizuno Open in Okayama which is in the west of the main island of Honshu.

After a three week break Brendan has the batteries recharged for a lengthy campaign over the next few months. 

The reason for the rather strange name for the event is that it is essentially the final qualifying for the British Open for Japan Golf Tour players. The top four in this event not otherwise exempt for the British Open will be eligible to play at Hoylake in a month's time. 

For Brendan he will be returning to familiar territory as it was at the Setonaikai Golf Club where he won in 2004 and finished runner up in 2003. In 2004 he beat Hiroaki Iijima in a playoff to win his second event that season. 

Brendan is currently in second place on the Japan Golf Tour following his win at the Tsuruya Open and his runner up placing to Wayne Perske at the Token Homemate Cup earlier this season. He has earnings for the season of 33 million yen or (A$390,000) although he is currently 22 million yen behind the tearaway leader at this point, Shingo Katayama. The Mizuno Open will be the first of two events in Japan for Brendan before he heads back to the US where he will play several events on the PGA Tour starting at the John Deere Classic in Illinois on July 13th.   

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