Semikawa set for maiden DP World Tour bow

Japanese sensation Taiga Semikawa is set to make his first DP World Tour bow when he competes in the inaugural Singapore Classic this Thursday.

Thanks to his outstanding performances last year, the 22-year-old has been extended an invitation to play in the US$2,000,000 meet at the Laguna National Golf Resort Club.

Semikawa will be relishing yet another fresh challenge after having contested three times already on the PGA Tour last month.

Of these appearances, he made the cut on his debut at the Sony Open in Hawaii and the Farmers Insurance Open two weeks ago.

Semikawa will be going up against a host of DP World Tour stars, including victorious Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Bjørn, last season’s Seve Ballesteros Award winner Ryan Fox and China’s Li Haotong.

"This is an incredible opportunity and I’m very excited to be playing a DP World Tour event for the first time," said Semikawa.

"I’ve heard wonderful things about Singapore and seen photos of Laguna National – it’s a beautiful venue, so playing there against some of the great names from that tour would be a fantastic experience."

Semikawa will be joined by compatriots Rikuya Hoshino and Masahiro Kawamura at the Laguna National.

Semikawa, then a fourth-year college student, was a revelation of last season's Japan Golf Tour.

His most notable feat was becoming the first amateur golfer in 95 years to win the Japan Open, making him the only second individual to do so after Rokuro Akahoshi in 1927.

The win also culminated a run of three straight professional victories, where he emerged triumphant at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship and the Japan Create Challenge in FukuokaRaizan victory on the Abema Tour.

By winning the Panasonic Open, Semikawa also etched his name into the JGTO history books as the first amateur golfer to win multiple times in a single season.

He had since turned professional and made his pro start at the Mynavi ABC Championship in November last year.