Yuto Katsuragawa continued a history-making season for players from Japan on the DP World Tour with a three-shot victory on home soil at the ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP.
The local favourite entered the final day at Taiheiyo Club’s Gotemba Course three shots off the lead but was right in the mix at the turn as many of the leading players stumbled.
Sebastian Söderberg was the only one keeping pace with him, but the 25-year-old Katsuragawa started the back nine with five birdies in seven holes to leave the Swede in his wake and finish at 17 under after a course-record equalling 63.
Söderberg carded a 67 to be the nearest challenger but all the headlines belonged to Katsuragawa, who made it back-to-back Japanese wins in regular DP World Tour events for the first time after Keita Nakajima’s victory at the Hero Indian Open.
HANDS WERE SHAKING
Katsuragawa’s maiden DP World Tour win comes in just his fifth start and is his second in this event, having lifted the trophy in 2022 before it was co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organisation.
“I knew that if I won this tournament I could get an exemption onto the DP World Tour, which was really motivating for me. In the end I got the win and I am very happy about it,” said the winner. “My hands were shaking at times on the back nine, but I managed to hold it together and play some of my best golf.”
I’ve have not played in Europe before, as I have concentrated on playing in Japan, so it’s amazing that focusing on the Japan Tour has led me to having the chance to play more in Europe. I am looking forward to competing on the bigger world stage.”
Next week’s Volvo China Open is the last counting event in the DP World Tour’s Asian Swing, with players in positions one to three in the final Asian Swing Ranking receiving exemptions into the US PGA Championship next month.