Unheralded Amateur Suzuki Pipped by Imahira

Ibaraki, Japan: Making a mockery of his lowly amateur ranking, Kosuke Suzuki defied expectations to come within a whisker of winning the Asia Pacific Open Golf Championship Diamond Cup.

Languishing in 864th place in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), Suzuki upstaged number one Keita Nakajima as well as a host of leading professionals from the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO).

Seven strokes off the pace in joint 19th place heading into the final round, Suzuki produced the round of his life, posting a tournament-best seven-under-par 63 at Oarai Golf Club.

With a four-day aggregate of 273, Suzuki then had a lengthy wait to see if anyone could better the mark he set. Ultimately, only one player managed to do that, Shugo Imahira’s closing 68 handing him a one-shot triumph and a sixth JGTO crown.

Suzuki ended in a share of second place with the Japanese trio of Hiroshi Iwata, Kaito Onishi and Yuto Katsuragawa.

Suzuki’s magical round included a solitary bogey against six birdies and an eagle-three at the 15th. His card included no fewer than 10 threes including eight in nine holes from the eighth and six in a row from the 11th.

Although he narrowly missed out on becoming just the sixth amateur to win on the JGTO, Suzuki had the consolation of claiming the award for the Diamond Cup's low amateur, won last year by Nakajima.

Joint 11th after three day, Nakajima was tipped by many to mount a final-round charge but an error-strewn 74, including seven bogeys, put paid to any hopes of capturing a second JGTO title. He finished equal 32nd on 282.

Like Suzuki, New Zealand amateur Kazuma Kobori excelled. With a closing 69 he posted an aggregate of 274, securing a share of sixth spot.

Courtesy of The R&A, Imahira was rewarded with an exemption into July’s 150th Open Championship at St Andrews.

Imahira, who won the JGTO money list title in 2018 and 2019 and whose last victory was the 2021 Fujisankei Classic, said: "I am really happy with this victory. I haven't really performed well this year, so I'm glad I'm able to win early.

“The Open was my goal at the start of this season. My 172 world ranking isn’t good enough to get me into overseas events, so getting into The Open by winning this week is amazing. The goal was to be a Major player rather than a prize winner.” 

The Diamond Cup was hosted by the Japan Golf Association (JGA) in partnership with the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), Kansai TV and Mitsubishi Corporation.

This was the 11th occasion that the Diamond Cup had 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.