Naoyuki Kataoka will make his Major debut next year after winning the Japan Open on Sunday.
The event is one of a select number of national opens around the world that were recently granted status as qualifiers for next year’s Masters at Augusta and The Open at Royal Birkdale.
The 27-year-old Japanese beat Satoshi Hara in a playoff at the Nikko Club north of Tokyo and could hardly contain his emotions as he stood victorious on the 18th green.
“It’s really a dream come true for me. I’m really happy to be able to play in The Masters and The Open,” said the 27-year-old world No 500, whose victory was only his second on the domestic Japanese tour.
“I’ll work as hard as I can, prepare by April, and do my best to be able to compete,” he added.
“I felt a really strong sense of accomplishment as I finally won again after enduring so many near misses during those barren four years,” said Kataoka, whose only previous win came in 2021 at the Japan Players Championship.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
