Enhanced Status of Royal Junior Winners

Tokyo, Japan: The status of Shio Chaki and Shoon Kobayashi as two of Japan’s most promising golfing teens has been enhanced in the wake of their successes in The Royal Junior.

With their respective victories at The Royal Club in Tokyo, the duo have made significant moves in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).

In a tense climax, Chaki, who began the week in 900th place in the WAGR, defeated Saori Iijima on the fifth hole of a sudden-death play-off. 

Thanks to that effort, Chaki has progressed 529 positions to 371st while Iijima has made a 16-ranking rise to 63rd. With her win, Chaki received an exemption into the 120th Women’s Amateur Championship at Prince’s Golf Club (June 13-18).

One shot shy of joining the play-off in The Royal Junior was Fuka Suga who placed third against the professionals in the previous week’s Fundokin Ladies on the Japan LPGA Tour.

Her joint third finish at The Royal Club has seen her move up 37 spots to 24th, just two places behind compatriot Mizuki Hashimoto, winner of the 2021 Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific.

Also rising up the rankings is Rianne Malixi of the Philippines, who tied for third with Suga in Japan. Malixi has gone up six places in the WAGR to 96th.

Kobayashi’s one-stroke triumph from Reo Maruo in the Boys’ event was especially impressive given that he began the week without a ranking.

On the back of his win, which has earned him a start in the 128th The Amateur Championship at Hillside Golf Club and Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club (June 19-24), Kobayashi has entered the WAGR for the first time in 4,116th position.

With his runner-up finish in the event that was endorsed by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) and featured a selection of leading players from APGC member countries, Maruo had the distinction of being the week’s most improved player. He has risen from 2,806th to 1,403rd.

While Malixi was the leading APGC representative among the Girls, Singapore’s Daryl Low led the Boys’ contingent, finishing in joint third place. In so doing he has risen 21 spots in the WAGR to 604th.

Organised by Nippon Kabaya Ohayo Holdings Inc and approved by the APGC and The R&A, The Royal Junior was also supported by the Japan Golf Association, Japan High School and Junior High School Golf Association.

Meanwhile, two other rising stars of the women’s game in Asia have cemented their places among the WAGR’s top-100.

An Tong, runner-up in the Tianjin Ladies Challenge on the China LPGA Tour, is up 12 spots to 95th, while Avani Prashanth lived up to her status as India’s number one amateur with a dominant victory in the Asian Game Trials at Royal Calcutta Golf Club.

The 16-year-old, who won the individual title at this year’s Queen Sirikit Cup in the Philippines, sandwiched a second round 66 between a pair of 70s to compile a 10-under 206 total for a 12-shot victory. She is now 84th in the WAGR.