Tokyo, Japan: Keita Nakajima outlasted fellow former Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) winner Takumi Kanaya to claim victory in the ASO Iizuka Challenged Golf Tournament following a dramatic finale.
After runner-up finishers in his last two Japan Golf Tour starts, Nakajima, winner of the AAC in Dubai in 2021, finally went one better.
For Nakajima it was a second Japan Golf Tour title, but his first as a professional after joining the play-for-pay ranks last year. He was an amateur when he secured his maiden Tour win at the 2021 Panasonic Open.
The 22-year-old Nakajima beat Kanaya, 25, with a birdie on the second play-off hole after overcoming a three-shot deficit at the start of the final round.
Nakajima closed with a seven-under-par 65 at the Aso Iizuka Golf Club to match Kanaya at 29-under-par 259 total. Kanaya, who led for the first three rounds, finished with a bogey-free 68.
“I feel so happy. Winning in the play-off against Kanaya-san after a fiercely-battled final day made the victory even sweeter. It was a feeling that can’t be expressed in words,” said Nakajima, runner-up at the Mizuno Open and joint second again at last week's BMW JGT Championship Mori Building Cup.
“It’s no different (than winning as an amateur). The outcome of the game doesn’t change, and I believe that the person who plays good golf will win, so it doesn’t change.
“After turning professional, I didn't have a good performance for a while, and I saw players of my generation win before me. But I didn’t feel anxious and I believed that if I continued with my own golf, I could win. I was able to do it with the support and understanding from my family, trainers, coaches, and support staff.”
In regulation, a brilliant front-nine display saw Nakajima cancel out Kanaya’s three-shot advantage to ensure their two-horse race would go down to the wire.
Nakajima eagled the par-five opening hole and notched birdies on hole numbers three, seven and nine to draw level with Kanaya at 29-under.
Kanaya, winner of the AAC in Singapore in 2018, had birdies on the first and third but could not make any headway as Nakajima moved to the summit for the first time after another gain on 12. But Kanaya made his third birdie of the day on 14 to put the contest back to all square.
Nakajima regained the lead when he birdied the 15th but he surrendered pole position after bogeying the 17th, the first shot he dropped for the week.
Kanaya capitalised on his playing partner’s misfortune to return to the top of the leaderboard.
At the 18th, Kanaya settled for par while Nakajima forced a shootout by rolling in a clutch birdie putt from 13 feet.
Nakajima said: “It (the final day) felt long, and I was excited and thrilled. I was fired up all day to contend for the title. I was prepared for a close battle, and I think I managed to put my heart into each swing, one swing at a time.”
Kanaya was philosophical after the defeat ended his hopes of claiming back-to-back Japan Golf Tour victories.
Kanaya said: “To finish the four-day day tournament with 29-under-par, I’m quite satisfied with my overall performance. Nakajima-san turned in a wonderful performance today. He played so well in the play-off, so credit to him. He truly deserved the victory.”
