Tokyo, Japan: A little over two years after winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) and ascending to the summit in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Keita Nakajima has secured the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO) Money Ranking title.
It was in the first week of November in 2021 that Nakajima edged Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho in a play-off at the Dubai Creek & Yacht Club in the 12th edition of the AAC.
Fast forward to the penultimate week of November in 2023 and Nakajima’s fourth-place finish at the Casio World Open sealed the season-long JGTO race with one event remaining on the schedule.
The 23-year-old closed with a four-under-par 68 for a total of 12-under at Kochi Kuroshio Country Club, finishing two shots behind the winner, Taichi Nabetani.
The performance underlined Nakajima’s exceptional consistency throughout the season, featuring three victories and nine top-five finishes.
Last week’s effort elevated Nakajima’s season earnings to ¥172,486,179, establishing an unassailable lead over his closest competitor, Takumi Kanaya (¥128,662,332), with a gap of ¥43,823,847 ahead of this week’s season-ending Golf Nippon Series JT Cup.
Although Nakajima has secured the Prize Money King title, he will put the celebration on hold as he channels his focus on winning the JT Cup, contested the season’s top 30 performers.
“I’m happy. But there is still one more tournament, and there is a player (Nabetani) who won this week. I want to win next week, so it’s too early to celebrate,” said Nakajima.
Nonetheless, it’s been a remarkable achievement for Nakajima, considering he turned professional just last fall.
He was also quick to acknowledge that his fiercely fought battle with fellow former AAC winner and ex-international team-mate Kanaya brought out the best in him.
Asked if he saw himself achieving this feat this early in his career, Nakajima said: “I never thought about when it would happen. This year, competing with Kanaya-san, realising the significance of aiming for the Prize Money King, and achieving the result after a year of hard work is what matters most.
“If it weren’t for the competition with Kanaya-san, I don’t think I could have played consistently until the end. It was a great match against the best opponent.”
Nakajima dedicated his triumph to a close friend who passed away recently. “I wanted to secure the Prize Money King title for him, and believing that he was watching over me, I feel that his power contributed to my confidence in accomplishing this feat,” he said.
Despite Kanaya’s need for a win last week to keep alive his slim Money List hopes, he had to settle for a joint seventh-place finish after closing 72 for a 10-under total, having started the final day as one of five co-leaders.
Kanaya congratulated Nakajima, with whom he played on the Japan national amateur team, hailing him as a ‘stand-out player’.
Kanaya said: “In a crucial situation where only winning would suffice, I struggled and couldn’t perform at my best due to the pressure. I recognise that there’s still room for improvement in my skills.”
Kanaya congratulated Nakajima on his excellence throughout the year, particularly under pressure.
He said: “I told him: ‘You’re really strong’. We’ve been through a lot together since our amateur days, and I’ve seen Nakajima’s ambitious goals and unwavering commitment to golf make him stand out from other players. I believe these qualities have significantly contributed to his impressive achievements.”
