Yuto Katsuragawa set his sights on a place on the PGA Tour after claiming a home win at the ISPS Handa Championship in Japan.
Create a free account to read this article
or signup to continue reading
The world No.434 started the week largely unknown outside of his homeland and it looked like it would stay that way as he entered the final round three shots off the lead among players with winning pedigree on the DP World Tour.
But Katsuragawa found himself in a share of top spot around the turn after picking up two shots on the front nine as the leaders faltered.
Five birdies in seven holes from the 10th sent him soaring to victory at the Taiheiyo Club Minori Course on Sunday.
A closing 63 moved him to 17 under, three shots clear of Swede Sebastian Soderberg.
After his victory, Katsuragawa said he would take up the DP World Tour membership available to him via his win.
He will instantly enter the top 25 on the Race to Dubai, with the top 10 players at the end of the season not already exempt earning a PGA Tour card.
The 25-year-old was quick to plot his route to the United States.
"I have been practising a lot to stand on the big stage," Katsuragawa said.
"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 bring my 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."
Soderberg's runner-up finish after a closing 67 boosted his chances of playing in next month's US PGA Championship as he moved to the top of the DP World Tour's Asian Swing. The top three players in those rankings at the end of next week's China Open earn a place in the field at Valhalla.
Northern Ireland's Tom McKibbin finished six shots off the lead after a closing 65 that started with five consecutive birdies.
Australian Associated Press
