Higa dispels nerves to win

Kazuki Higa showed nerves of steel when he drained a 15-foot putt on the final hole to capture the BMW Japan Golf Tour Championship Mori Building Cup by one stroke on Sunday.

With his latest victory, Higa becomes the second player after Shugo Imahira to win twice this season.

The contest went down the wire with Higa and Aguri Iwasaki in contention to win the Tour’s flagship tournament outright on the last hole. However, with Iwasaki bogeying, it was Higa, who eventually reigned supreme, when he sunk his clutch birdie putt to sign off with a four-under-par 67 for a winning total of 12-under-par 272 at the Shishido Hills Country Club..

Tomoharu Otsuki was left to rue a costly double bogey on 17 as he let slip of a two-shot advantage to settle for a runner-up finish again this season. Otsuki, who finished in a share of second place at The Golf Partner Pro-Am Tournament last month, carded a 65 for a 273 total.

It was a well-deserved victory for Higa as he fought back valiantly from three shots back at the start of the day to clinch his second title this season, following his triumph at the Kansai Open in April.

Higa’s winning act was inspired by a pair of eagles on the par-five second and 15th holes. He also birdied the par-five six for another gain of the day, which proved crucial for him to make up for the two blemishes on the eighth and 10th.

“I’m really happy as one of my goals this year is to win the JGTO’s flagship event. I managed to do it today. I was really feeling very nervous when I lined up for my putt on the last hole. My body was shaking, but I told myself to calm down. The feeling of seeing the putt drop was simply amazing. I did it!

Higa’s fourth career victory earned him not only a tidy sum of ¥30,000,000 and a five-year exemption but also an invitation to the DP World Tour’s BMW International Open in Germany later this month and the ZOZO Championship in October.

The 27-year-old will also tee up at The Open next month by virtue of being the highest-ranked money leader after this week’s tournament.

“It’s a dream come true for me now that I’ll be playing in my first major at The Open. I’ve been watching the tournament on TV since I started playing golf, and I cannot believe I’m going to St Andrews now,” said a jubilant Higa.