Shugo Imahira Sinks a Clutch Putt to Win the Japan Open Golf Championship

With two holes remaining in the final round of the Japan Open Golf Championship, Shugo Imahira and Ryosuke Kinoshita were tied for the lead on Sunday, October 13.

Imahira secured the title by one stroke, making par on the 17th hole and sinking a 50-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th at Tokyo Golf Club in Sayama, Saitama Prefecture.

After winning his 10th Japan Golf Tour title, Imahira described his mindset heading into the pressure-filled final moments of the four-round tournament. 

"I was tied with Kinoshita at that point, so I was just aiming to make par and head into a playoff," Imahira told reporters, according to the Japan Golf Tour Organization website.

The Saitama Prefecture native then reacted to his final putt: "I didn't expect it to go in, so I wasn't completely blank, but it was a strange, overwhelming feeling."

He added, "I'm really happy. The Japan Open is a tournament I've always wanted to win, and while I didn't have great results this year, I'm thrilled to have won."

Imahira completed the tournament with a 4-under 276. He had his best round on Thursday, October 10, carding a 4-under 66. And he shot a 68, including five birdies and three bogeys, on Sunday to earn a ¥42 million JPY ($280,000 USD) winner's check.

Kinoshita shot a 70 in the fourth round, including par on the 18th after Imahira's dramatic birdie putt. He finished at 3-under 277. 

Yuki Inamori, who triumphed at this tournament in 2018 and 2020, placed third with an even-par 280.

A Major Golf Achievement for Imahira

Imahira was No 1 on the money list among Japan Golf Tour participants in 2018 and 2019. Sunday's triumph, however, was his first career victory in a domestic major.

The timing couldn't have been better for Imahira, who captured his first Japan Golf Tour title by six strokes at the Kansai Open Golf Championship in May 2017.

By winning on Sunday, Imahira qualified to play in the ZOZO Championship. The tourney is co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and the Japan Golf Tour. It will be held October 24-27 at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Inzai, Chiba Prefecture.

"I was really hoping to qualify for ZOZO, so now that I have, I want to carry this momentum into that tournament since I'm already familiar with the course," Imahira said.

In 2024, Imahira had his previous-best result in a Japan Golf Tour event at the Mizuno Open in May. He tied for third at 9-under 279. Kinoshita won the title by two strokes.

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Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.