Multiple Goals for World Amateur Number One

Tokyo, Japan: Multiple goals will be in mind for Keita Nakajima when he tees-off in the Asia-Pacific Open Golf Championship Diamond Cup Golf on Thursday morning.

The number one rated player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), Nakajima will be among the fan favourites at the Oarai Golf Club in the ¥100 million event that features leading players from the Asian Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO).

Hosted by the Japan Golf Association (JGA) in partnership with the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), Kansai TV and Mitsubishi Corporation, the starting field includes 20 amateurs, led by Nakajima.

The reigning Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) winner, Nakajima already has a JGTO victory under his belt having triumphed at last year’s Panasonic Open.

In his debut JGTO appearance this year at The Crowns a fortnight ago, Nakajima was joint seventh – a performance he’s looking to improve upon this week.

At Oarai Golf Club not only is he bidding to retain the title he claimed last year as low amateur at the Diamond Cup, but also to become the first amateur to win twice on the JGTO.

Nakajima, who made his Augusta National debut in April's Masters Tournament, has plenty to look forward to in the coming months with exemptions already secured to the US Open in June and July's 150th Open Championship at St Andrews.

Testament to his crowd appeal, Nakajima has been drawn in one of the showpiece groupings for the first two rounds alongside compatriot Kazuki Higa and Thai Sadom Kaewkanjana, winner of January’s SMBC Singapore Open, the opening leg of the 2022 JGTO season.

Among other amateurs in the field are Chinese Taipei’s Su Ching-hung, China’s Zhou Tianwei, Indian Aryan Roopa Anand, Thai Ashita Piamkulvanich and the New Zealand duo of Kazuma Kobori and Jimmy Hydes.

Joining Nakajima in a 14-strong Japanese amateur contingent are two other players currently in the WAGR’s top-100 – Taiga Semikawa (29th) and Yuta Sugiura (98th).

Taimur Hassan Amin, the APGC Chairman, said he was delighted to see the return of Asian amateurs to the field following two years of disruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Amin said: “The Diamond Cup provides elite amateur golfers from APGC member countries with a special opportunity to test their skills at the highest level. I would like to thank the Japan Golf Association for their generosity in allocating 10 spots for our APGC amateurs.

“Due to the pandemic, our players were denied the chance to compete for the past two years. However, with the easing of travel restrictions, we’re all delighted that this year’s Asia-Pacific Open Diamond Cup will once more feature a selection of the finest amateur golfers from around the region.”

This is the 11th occasion that the Diamond Cup has been held at Oarai Golf Club, but the first occasion since 2013 when two-time AAC winner Hideki Matsuyama claimed the title, a matter of months after turning professional.