British Open 2022: Nakajima's win the Asia-Pacific amateurs Championship tops main year for Japan

Keita Nakajima defeat the Hong Kong Taichi Kho on the second hole of an exciting playoff at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club on Saturday, Nakajima became the 3rd Japanese player to win the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC). The British Open fans can buy British Open Tickets from our website.

The latter shot 64 in the third round, then 65, the No. 1 player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking shot a 3-under 68 in the final round to overtake Kho, and finally 14 End under par.

Nakajima became the 3rd Japanese player to win the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship

The event offers winners invitations to participate in the Augusta National Golf Club Masters and British Open. The event has always been held across the region and is now held in China, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, and Hong Kong, South Korea, and New Zealand.

The two players returned to the 18th hole and were saved on their first try. Then Kho hit the ball a second time with his second fairway bunker to find water. Nakajima hit an excellent drive followed by 20 feet. He pushed the ball into the birdie to secure the win.

This marks the second consecutive time in AAC's history that AAC will enter the playoffs after Lin Yuxin and Takumi Kanaya played two additional holes at the 2019 Shanghai World Championships.

With his win, 21-year-old Nakajima received an invitation to the 2022 Masters, realizing his dream of competing in exhibition games with defending champion Hideki Matsuyama at the Augusta National Golf Club, as well as exemption from entering the St. Andrews' 150th opening.

"It feels great to follow in the footsteps of Hideki and Takumi. I am very excited to participate in three major championships in 2022 (he is also exempt from participating in the British Open as a 2021 part of the Mark H, I am very proud of what I have achieved. McCormack Medal, No. 1 in the WAGR ® Men's World in 2015. I am very grateful that the competition gave us such a good opportunity,” said Nakajima, who tied the score in second place after Kanaya in Singapore in 2018.

Who got off to a brilliant start with birdies on the first, Nakajima is a former R&A Foundation scientist with third and fifth holes. This took him three shots off the field, but swallowed a three-putt bogey on the sixth hole and then a double bogey on the ninth hole due to the difficult position of the fairway bunker, which brought him back to the field.

From the ninth hole, with five birdies in six holes, Kho pushed himself into the competition and finished the game with four pairs, equaling the low round of the day.

The University of Notre Dame runner-up is Hong Kong's best result in 12 years.

Nakajima hit an excellent drive followed by 20 feet

"I know the last group of people has the possibility to go deep I came back for three points. I just know that if I focus on my own game I can put a low post there, and that's how I did it "I just caught a series of birdies. When I knew it, I was already ahead and there were three left. I think I'm fully prepared for it, It's nervous, but at the same time," said Kho, who ranked 220th in WAGR®.

"I feel easier this time around. If I can play well in the game, I'm confident to move forward. I hit the ball I need to hit. If I shoot again, I'll be the same club and the same thinking process choosing. Execution this time. Keita won a birdie, so I don't regret this decision."

South Korean Wooyoung Cho equaled Kho's 65 strokes and finished in third place with China's Bo Jin (68 strokes) with a score of 12 under par. Zhao caught five birdies on the last nine holes and swallowed no bogeys. One was on the challenging 18th hole, with King slipping early when he swallowed a double bogey on the second par-4 hole, but it was tight followed, no more admitting.

China's defending champion Lin Yuxin birdied at the start, then swallowed three bogeys on the second hole. Before the par 4 tees went out of bounds on the 15th hole, he struggled to get back into play. A par 71 put him in seventh place.

"I'm very happy with my counterattack after the second hole. I tried my best until it happened on the 15th. I'll use this as a learning experience and keep working hard," said Lin.

Ahmed Skaik (aged 71) became the second UAE player to advance in the AAC this week, finishing 42nd with a total score of 4 strokes over par.

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