池田勇太、今季初優勝！苦しみながらも土壇場で勝負強さ発揮

2011年07月31日17時25分




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順位 選手名 スコア優勝 池田　勇太 -14
2 平塚　哲二 -13
3 J・チョイ -10
4 ドンファン -9
K・バーンズ -9
6 キム・ヒョンテ -8
岩田　寛 -8
井上　忠久 -8
松山　英樹 -8
K・アフィバーンラト -8


順位の続きを見る





相性のいい北海道でツアー通算9勝目を挙げた池田勇太（撮影：岩井康博）










＜サン・クロレラ クラシック　最終日◇31日◇小樽カントリー倶楽部(7,471ヤード・パー72)＞

　国内男子ツアー「サン・クロレラ クラシック」。トータル14アンダーの単独首位からスタートした池田勇太が苦しみながらも逃げ切り今季初優勝。ツアー通算9勝目で来週からスタートする「WGC-ブリヂストン招待」、「全米プロゴルフ選手権」の米国2連戦へ弾みをつけた。

勇太“64”で首位浮上も「誰が勝つか知ってるのは神様だけ」

　3日目の“64”から一転この日は“72”のパープレー。数字からもこの日苦しんだのが見て取れる。「本当に運に見放されてると思った。バンカーに入れば目玉だったり、アゴが近かったり。ガマンしかないとキャディとも話していた」7番でバーディを奪ってからは、まさにガマンの展開。13番では3パットでボギー、続く14番ではセカンドがバンカーで目玉となりボギーを叩くと、15番で序盤のトリプルボギーから盛り返してきた平塚哲二に並ばれた。

　しかし、「今日は平塚さんはしつこいだろうと思っていた。キーは平塚哲二だと」覚悟を決めて最終日に挑んでいた池田にあせりはなかった。勝負どころの17番で5メートルを沈め一歩抜け出して最終ホールを迎えると、最終18番では先に打った平塚がカップをなめるスーパーショットで1メートルにつけたのに対し、「動揺とかはなかった。俺も打てば寄るだろって感じだった。冷静でしたね」185ヤードを6番アイアンでピン手前1.5メートルにピタリ。苦しんだ今大会でも抜群の勝負強さを発揮して優勝をもぎ取った。

　「嬉しいし、優勝も決まったけど、物足りなかったね。もうちょっと平塚さんとやりたかった」この日は池田も平塚も上がりホールに来てようやくエンジンがかかってきただけに、これから面白くなるところでの終戦に複雑な思いもあったが、何をおいてもこれで待望の今季初勝利。「あんまり早期ではないけど1勝出来て良かった。これで2勝、3勝と続けて4勝以上を目指したい」年間最多勝、そして賞金王という目標を掲げて臨んでいる今季。今大会が大爆発の第一歩となるか。

【最終結果】
優勝：池田勇太(-14)
2位：平塚哲二(-13)
3位：J・チョイ(-10)
4位T：ドンファン(-9)
4位T：カート・バーンズ(-9)
6位T：H・T・キム(キム・ヒョンテ)(-8)
6位T：岩田寛(-8)
6位T：井上忠久(-8)
6位T：※松山英樹(-8)
6位T：キラデク・アフィバーンラト(-8)

Poor Oral Health Could Lead to Pneumonia

Written by Dentistry TodayTuesday, 03 January 2012 12:09



There may be a connection between poor oral health and pneumonia, according to Yale University.

The study shows that changes in the mouth resulting from bacteria could lead to pneumonia, according to Dr. Samit Joshi from the Yale University School of Medicine. Older people are also at a higher risk of developing pneumonia.

The study involved 37 participants who were analyzed throughout the course of a month. The research indicated that people who were on ventilators who developed pneumonia went through a major change to their oral bacteria before becoming sick.

The connection between illnesses involving the respiratory system and oral health has been discussed for years. The reason is bacterial infections in the chest stem from breathing droplets from the mouth and throat that seep into the lungs. Also, the more gum issues a person has, the greater the chance of death from pneumonia.

Basic dental care and maintaining good oral health can make the connection between oral bacteria and pneumonia irrelevant to a person.

This information could eventually be beneficial to the way pneumonia is treated

Possible Solution to Dry Mouth Exists

Written by Dentistry TodayThursday, 05 January 2012 16:18



There may be a way to aid dry mouth condition.

A new battery-powered mouthguard was created to fix this problem. The mouthguard fits over the lower arch of the teeth and enables the production of saliva thanks to little electric shocks. This device is necessary because dry mouth impacts 20 percent of people older than 50.

This device could be extremely helpful because of the importance of saliva in digestion and fighting against bacteria. A healthy person can generate three pints of saliva per day but there are many people that don’t produce enough. The result is the condition of dry mouth, known as xerostomia. The condition usually stems from some kind of medication or cancer treatment.

This new mouthguard is custom designed for each person and triggers saliva production by way of electric shocks. Each patient controls the device and can be worn for up to 10 minutes every hour.

The device can be beneficial for people who developed dry mouth from Parkinson’s Disease and Sjogren’s Syndrome. More tests are on the way.

Scientists have also created mint disks with Xylitol in them, which are thought to aid dry mouth. The disks are applied at night. They melt while the person is asleep and studies from the University of Washington indicate a reduced impact of dry mouth symptoms with one week.

Baby Bottles Result in Tooth Decay

Written by Dentistry TodayFriday, 06 January 2012 16:36



One of the top causes of tooth decay is a baby bottle, according to dentists.

Tooth decay remains a major problem for babies. There’s now evidence that shows baby bottles are one of the major reasons decay develops.

About two out of five children beginning kindergarten have at least one decayed tooth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It’s disappointing for dentists because this is an issue that can easily be prevented.

Many parents put children to bed with substances full of sugar, including fruit juices, milk, formula and breast milk. This sugar opens the possibility for the bacteria that develops into tooth decay.

When the baby’s teeth start to emerge, the child is already at risk for tooth decay based on the amount of bacteria present. Giving the child water is a solution to this issue.

It’s also common for the caregiver to unintentionally pass on bacteria to the child. Sharing utensils with your child is a surefire way for the baby to eventually develop tooth decay.

When a baby has untreated tooth decay, a dentist may have to pull the teeth because there are times when the teeth cannot be salvaged. That’s why dental visits for babies are just as important as they are for adults.

New Test Could Enable Dentists to Detect Oral Cancer Faster

Written by Dentistry TodayTuesday, 17 April 2012 15:20



It’s possible that it may take only 20 minutes to diagnose oral cancer.

The new test involves the dentist collecting stem cells from the patients’ mouths and then utilizing a computer program to analyze the diagnosis one way or the other. The whole process takes 20 minutes, light years ahead of the current methods, which include taking a biopsy and then awaiting the results from a lab. The results may not be in for roughly two to three weeks.

Researchers from the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom and researchers from Rice University have been working on a two-year trial. If the trial is a success, the new method will first be utilized in the UK.

The test uses small sensors and biologic agents that are attached to a portable machine. The actual testing device, known as lab on a chip, is about the size of a credit card. The test can be used in dental practices, providing dentists with the opportunity to test for oral cancer at their practice. The patients wouldn’t have to be anxious about the results for a period weeks and, instead, could learn the results that day.

There are 275 people who have signed up for the trial in the UK. There were 20 of those patients that tested positive for oral cancer and didn’t know they had the disease. The current rate of survival for oral cancer (50 percent) may receive a huge increase because of this test. Early treatment of oral cancer can result in about a 90-percent survival rate.

Professor Martin Thornhill, one of the leaders of the study, thinks the test will become a standard part of dentistry in the UK during the next five years. The test is useful because it can test patients who come in for a basic dental checkup or those patients that have an ulcer, a lesion or some reason to suspect they may have oral cancer. Oral cancer can be confirmed or ruled out in a matter of minutes based on this test.