JAPAN’S Takumi Kanaya fought to a brilliant solo third finish at the Final Stage of the PGA TOUR Qualifying School presented by Korn Ferry to earn a prized PGA TOUR card for the 2025 season.
The newly crowned Japan Golf Tour No. 1 fired a final round of 1-under 69 at TPC Sawgrass Dye’s Valley for a four-day total of 5-under 275 as he capped a great season for himself and Japanese golf.
He will become one of five Japanese players to hold a PGA TOUR card for next year, joining 10-time PGA TOUR winner Hideki Matsuyama, Ryo Hisatsune, Kaito Onishi and Rikuya Hoshino.
Like Kanaya, Onishi and Hoshino will make their maiden full seasons on the world’s elite circuit after gaining playing rights through the Korn Ferry Tour Top-30 and DP World Tour Top-10 respectively.
“I’m going to call my parents about my finish. I’ve had some tough moments and difficulties but I’ve been able to get through with the support of so many people,“ said the seven-time Japan Golf Tour winner.
Qualifying School is one of the toughest tests in golf and Kanaya showed courage and resilience to achieve his American dream. It has been a remarkable journey for the former world amateur No. 1 as he was probably thinking of heading home in the second stage last month after he opened his first seven holes in 7-over. He fought back bravely to finish T4 to advance into the Final Stage, and subsequently won the season-ending tournament in Japan and the money list title.
“Winning the money list gave me the confidence and I think if I work hard, I will have more chances to compete,“ said Kanaya, who was voted the Japan Tour’s Most Valuable Player. “I want to prepare well now and do my best in 2025. The second stage was really tough for four days but we took it one step at a time. I think I’ve done well up to now and I’m really happy that it’s paid off like this. It wasn’t a great start but I believed if I concentrated and worked hard, no matter where I was, I would get the results.”
With Matsuyama, who won twice on the PGA TOUR in 2024, spearheading the game in his country and inspiring a new generation of players to shoot for the stars, Kanaya believes the strong contingent of players from Japan competing on the PGA TOUR next year will be a boon for the game at home.
“Hideki has been so successful in the US for a long time and is already one of the best players in the world. I think many Japanese players will be taking on the challenge in the future and I would like to do my best to be like Hideki,“ he said
Compatriot Kensei Hirata finished T8 with a brilliant 64 to agonizingly miss out a the top-5 finish and ties finish required for a PGA TOUR card but he earned Korn Ferry Tour status for 2025. Korea’s S.Y. Noh (67) also finished T8 while Sangmoon Bae, a two-time PGA TOUR winner, finished T43 to also secure his Korn Ferry Tour playing rights.
