Battling Takumi Lives to Fight Another Day

Austin, Texas, United States: Takumi Kanaya extended his dream run at the US$12 million World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play when he defeated Lucas Herbert twice on Friday.

After recording a convincing 5&4 victory in their final Group 7 match, the 56th-seeded Japanese prevailed over his Australian rival again in a sudden-death play-off.

In so doing, the 2018 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) winner booked his place in the Round of 16 where he’ll face-off with Canadain Corey Conners.

Kanaya was the only one of the four-strong ex-AAC contingent to progress to the weekend in the elite 64-man tournament at Austin Country Club. Exiting along with Herbert were Korean Kim Si-woo and Min Woo Lee of Australia.

Following an opening defeat to Xander Schauffele on Wednesday, Kanaya has emerged as one of the surprises in Austin with his gutsy run. The slightly built 23-year-old clawed back from two-down with four to play to beat Tony Finau one-up in his second match and then dominated Herbert with five birdies in 14 holes of their final group match.

Kanaya and Herbert, with two wins each, then proceeded into extra time where the Japanese made a superb par save on the par-four first hole after finding the fairway bunker. He earned his place in the next round after Herbert, the world number 44, missed his par attempt from inside three feet.

Kanaya is the first Japanese golfer since Hideto Tanihara in 2017 to move beyond the group stage. The winner of his Saturday morning contest with Conners will qualify for the quarter-finals in the afternoon.

Kanaya now hopes he can go on to emulate or better the performances of Tanihara (fourth in 2017) and Toru Taniguchi, who holds the best finish by an Asian having placed third in 2001.

“I’m feeling great. I am happy I got through and I’m proud of myself,” said Kanaya, whose never-say-die attitude has served him well.

As a child, Kanaya was taught by his father, Hiroshi, to keep fighting and never give up. “My father told me when I was young: ‘Don’t give up. Keep going, keep going, keep trying. Don’t give up.’ He would say that always to me,” said Kanaya.

“The game against Tony was tough. Through 14 I was two-down but I never gave up. I’m pushing myself to play good golf. I feel so good today and was hitting it straight, putting good. I have confidence.

“(In the play-off) I hit into the bunker and had a tough lie. I laid up but I never gave up any shot. I thought I had a small chance I could make up-and-down (for par) and I was focused on making it. I thought we’d go to the next hole. It’s a tough finish for Lucas, very much pressure.”

Three-time PGA Tour winner Kim posted a 6&4 win over South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout for his second point in Group 13 but it was England’s Tyrrell Hatton who progressed into the next round from the group following his third win, defeating American Daniel Berger two-up.

Meanwhile, Lee completed his campaign against Tom Hoge, who was already eliminated before the match but still gave it a valiant effort, making a birdie on the last hole to squeeze out a tie after being winless in his previous two matches.

Lee had a chance to advance to the Round of 16 before the match started, but when Billy Horschel birdied the last two holes to tie his match against Thomas Pieters, Lee was officially eliminated before his match with Hoge ended.