Nakajima Boosts Number One Status with AAC Win

Singapore: Keita Nakajima has enhanced his status as the number one player on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) following his play-off victory at last week’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC).

Nakajima, winner of this year’s Mark McCormack Medal as the world’s top amateur for 2021, became the third Japanese player to win the AAC after former world number ones Takumi Kanaya (2018) and Hideki Matsuyama (2010).

A closing three-under 68 at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club helped Nakajima tie Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho at the top of the leaderboard on 14-under-par 270.

The world number one took the title with a birdie at the second play-off hole. Nakajima will now take his place alongside Matsuyama in next year’s Masters and Open Championship as rewards for winning the prestigious title.

He also stretches his lead at the top of the world order over American Pierceson Coody.

Meanwhile, Kho jumped 55 positions to a high of 165th.

Korean Sam Choi, who tied for 13th in Dubai, is 16th in the latest WAGR, five spots ahead of China’s Jin Bo, who was equal third at the AAC.

His compatriot Lin Yuxin, a two-time AAC winner who was joint seventh in Dubai, is 24th in the WAGR.

A new entry to the top-50 is Japan’s Taiga Semikawa. He made the cut in the Mynavi ABC Championship on the Japan Golf Tour and moves up 78 places to 49th.

In the women’s rankings, Korean Na Eun-seo joined the top-50 for the first time with a move of four positions to 50th after a 61st place finish among the professionals in the 15th S-OIL Championship on the Korean LPGA Tour.

The award for the biggest ranking improvement of the week went to Smriti Bhargav of India. She climbed 638 places to 950th after three consecutive top-five performances in her homeland.