Takumi Kanaya held his nerve to edge out Ryo Ishikawa on the second playoff hole and capture his eighth JGTO title at the ANA Open on Sunday.
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The reigning JGTO money ranking champion began the final round two shots back of leader Tomoharu Otsuki and got off to a rocky start with a bogey on the second hole.
But the 27-year-old quickly recovered, rattling off four successive birdies from the third at Sapporo Golf Club Wattsu Course.
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Although he dropped another shot on the eighth, Kanaya responded with a birdie at the ninth to make the turn in 35. He added further birdies on 12 and 17 to sign for a three-under-par 69, forcing extra holes with Ishikawa with his four-day total of 17-under-par 271.
“On the second hole I ran into some trouble, so it wasn’t the best start,” Kanaya admitted. “But I was able to reset my mind and play well from the third hole. Even after making a double bogey, I stayed patient. From around the 14th hole onwards, I made some really good par putts and saves, and I think that’s what ultimately led to the win.”
Kanaya credited his composure in part to his local course caddie.
“This week my caddie was a local course caddie, and he always kept me steady, whether I played a good shot or a bad one. He encouraged me to stay positive. Managing my emotions has often been a challenge for me, so this week was a big learning experience.”
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In the playoff, Kanaya and Ishikawa traded pars on the first extra hole, before Kanaya prevailed with a steady par on the second while Ishikawa faltered. The champion was quick to pay tribute to Ishikawa.
“Ryo-san was playing a fantastic game. On the first playoff hole I thought his birdie putt was going to drop, and the outcome really came down to the smallest of margins.
“I’m sure he’ll have more chances to win, and I hope he keeps going strong,” said Kanaya.
