Takaaki Kono (4 January 1940 – 22 April 2010) was a Japanese professional golfer.
Early life Kono was born in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan in 1940. He started playing golf at the age of 15.
Professional career Kono had much success on the Japanese and Asian circuits at the beginning of his career, winning several times. One of his top successes was at the 1969 Malaysian Open. Six shots behind at the beginning of the final round, Kono fired a 66 (−6) to capture the title by one shot over New Zealand's John Lister and Australia's David Graham.
This performance helped him earn his first special foreign invitation to the Masters Tournament that April. At Augusta, he shot a third round 68 (−4) put him in the top ten and a slight chance for the title. However he stumbled home on the final day and did not seriously contend for the championship, won by George Archer. This would be the beginning of a relatively long relationship with the event, however, as Kono would be invited to play in the tournament several more times. The following year, Kono played just as well, again shooting another 68 (this time in the second round) to place in the top ten once again where he remained after the third round. A final round 74 assured that he did not seriously contend on Sunday but he would pick up his best performance in a major championship. Kono would play in the event several more times in the early 1970s.
Kono continued to have success on the Japanese and Asian circuits, winning multiple events. He won the First Flight Tournament during the first official season of the Japan Golf Tour, but would not win again on the tour until a decade later at the Kanagawa Open.
Professional wins (17) PGA of Japan Tour wins (2) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunners-up123 Sep 1973First Flight Tournament−18 (65-68-65=198)6 strokes Ben Arda, Masashi Ozaki224 Jul 1983Kanagawa Open−8 (64-72=136)3 strokes Yurio Akitomi, Satoshi Higashi, Kazushige Kono
Asia Golf Circuit (3) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up116 Mar 1969Malaysian Open−8 (72-70-72-66=280)1 stroke David Graham, John Lister214 Mar 1971Malaysian Open (2)−19 (67-66-64-72=269)2 strokes David Graham35 Mar 1972Singapore Open−9 (67-70-74-68=279)4 strokes Takashi Murakami
Other wins (12) This list may be incomplete 1967 Nippon Series 1968 Japan Open, Nippon Series, Brazil Open 1969 Dunlop Tournament 1970 Champions Tournament, Grand Monarch, Rolex Tournament 1971 Champions Tournament, Grand Monarch 1972 Champions Tournament 1973 Champions Tournament
Results in major championships Tournament19691970197119721973Masters TournamentT13T12CUTT19T51 CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" = tied Note: Kono only played in the Masters Tournament.
Team appearances World Cup (representing Japan): 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972
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