Kanaya Grateful for PGA Tour Opportunity

Tokyo, Japan: All eyes will be on Takumi Kanaya when he competes in this month’s ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP @ SHERWOOD, seeking to emulate the success of Hideki Matsuyama on the PGA Tour.

Having won the 2020 McCormack Medal as number one on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, former Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) winner Kanaya turned professional last week. He’ll be among eight Japanese golfers in the US$8 million ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, to be held from October 22-25.

The talented 22-year-old will compete against the likes of defending champion Tiger Woods, reigning FedEx Cup winner Dustin Johnson, world number two Jon Rahm and 18-time PGA Tour champion Rory McIlroy, who placed tied third in the inaugural ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP in Japan last October.

Apart from Matsuyama, who is a five-time PGA Tour winner and exempted through his 2019-20 FedEx Cup ranking, other Japanese golfers gaining entry into the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP through the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO) include two-time Japanese number one Shugo Imahira, Rikuya Hoshino, Mikumu Horikawa, Naoki Sekito and Ryo Ishikawa, a 17-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour and a former PGA Tour regular.

Satoshi Kadoira, a one-time PGA Tour champion, will also feature in the tournament via a sponsor’s exemption.

Thai duo Jazz Janewattanananond and Gunn Charoenkul, South African Shaun Norris and American Chan Kim round up the exemptions from the Japan Golf Tour, which is a co-sanction partner of the event.

Kanaya’s career rise has closely mirrored Matsuyama’s ascension in the world of golf. Both players attended Tohoku Fukushi University and won the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship – Matsuyama in 2010 and 2011 and Kanaya in 2018. Interestingly, Matsuyama won the Mitsui Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo Masters in 2011 as an amateur, while Kanaya followed in his footsteps last November with an eagle on the 72nd hole.

“I’m extremely grateful for the invitation to participate in the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP,” said Kanaya. “I’d like to first express my sincere gratitude to the organisers and all the people involved in making this tournament possible during such a difficult time.

“I am very honoured to have such a valuable opportunity to play immediately after turning professional. I look forward to competing in such a strong field and will do my best to play well and stay competitive.

In addition to his AAC success, Kanaya’s amateur accolades include runner-up finishes in the 2018 Asian Games and individual category of the 2018 World Amateur Team Championships. He also made the half-way cut at last year’s Masters Tournament.

The ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP @ SHERWOOD will feature 78 professionals, including the leading players from the 2019-20 FedEx Cup points list, players designated by the JGTO and sponsor exemptions.