Classy Katsuragawa extends Japan’s global footprint with win at ISPS

Yuto Katsuragawa bolstered Japan's dominance on the DP World Tour this season by winning the ISPS HANDA Championship, becoming the second consecutive Japanese player and third overall to claim victory in the European flagship circuit.

The 25-year-old Katsuragawa rallied from a three-shot deficit in the final round, firing an impressive seven-under-par 63 to secure a three-shot victory over Sweden's Sebastian Soderberg.

Katsuragawa kept bogeys at bay as he snared seven birdies at the Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course, including five on the back nine, to finish the week at 17-under 263.

This victory marks Katsuragawa's second JGTO triumph, coming two years after his initial win- which incidentally also took place at the same tournament.

The significant distinction this time lies in the ISPS HANDA Championship's joint sanctioning with the DP World Tour, granting Katsuragawa coveted direct membership to the European circuit.

Katsuragawa was delighted to accept the membership and is now ready to embark on another journey abroad after completing one full season on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023.

"I have been practising a lot to stand on the big stage," said Katsuragawa.

"I can now go on the DP World Tour which is really great and I'm really happy with it. I'm aiming to become a member of the PGA TOUR in the future."

"I was very nervous on the back nine, my hands were shaking but I trusted myself and I managed to play my best golf.

"This course is beside Mount Fuji and very beautiful but it is a challenging course and I'm happy to win at a challenging course like this."

The trend of Japanese players making their mark on the international stage has been on the rise.

In just his fifth start in a DP World Tour event, Katsuragawa emulated the feats of Rikuya Hoshino (Qatar Masters) and Keita Nakajima (Indian Open) as winners this season.

This continues the positive momentum initiated by Ryo Hisatsune's victory at the French Open in September last year. With four Japanese players securing victories on the DP World Tour in a matter of eight months, their wins have undeniably showcased their brilliance. 

This achievement is particularly significant considering that before this, only two Japanese players—Isao Aoki (1983 Panasonic Open) and Hideki Matsuyama (2016 WGC-HSBC Champions, 2017 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, 2021)—had managed to do so.

The home fans had extra cause for celebration as seven local players secured spots in the top 15, marking a notable improvement from just four in the inaugural edition last year.

Ryosuke Kinoshita carded a 69 to tie for third place on 268, followed by Masahiro Kawamura (69) and Yuta Sugiura (69), just one shot behind in joint seventh.

Nakajima's attempt to secure back-to-back wins was foiled as he could only manage a 71. He eventually had to settle for a share of 11th place alongside compatriots Shugo Imahira (66) and Takumi Kanaya (68) on 270.

Kinoshita believes he could have done better and was disappointed for not being able to stay in contention.

"I really tried to play calmly and steadily. I think it was good that I was able to finish without getting too emotional, but I'm still disappointed because I was aiming for the championship," said Kinoshita.

"I thought if I could shoot six-under today, I would have a shot at winning. But with the greens being firm and the pin positions challenging, I couldn't make any birdies, so it wasn't enough."

The JGTO will head to Aichi for The Crowns, where Hiroshi Iwata will aim to defend his title at the Nagoya Golf Club Wago Course.

Leading final round scores:

263: Yuto Katsuragawa 70-65-65-63;

266: Sebastian Soderberg (Swe) 66-64-69-67;

268: Christiaan Bezuidenhout (Rsa) 68-67-68-65, Marcel Schneider (Ger) 67-67-66-68, Ivan Cantero (Esp) 70-66-64-68, Ryosuke Kinoshita 66-67-66-69;

269: Tom McKibbin (Nir) 69-64-71-65, Masahiro Kawamura 66-68-66-69, Yuta Sugiura 68-67-65-69, Tom Vaillant (Fra) 67-65-67-70;

270: James Morrison (Eng) 68-67-69-66; Shugo Imahira 67-70-67-66, Takumi Kanaya 68-67-67-68, Daniel Hillier (Aus) 68-67-67-68, Ko Jeong-weon (Fra) 65-71-65-69, Manuel Elvira (Esp) 68-67-66-69, Keita Nakajima 66-68-65-71.