Kanaya wins International Series Oman as six Japanese in top 20

©Asian Tour

Takumi Kanaya led the way as the Japanese contingent made their presence felt at the just concluded International Series Oman on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Kanaya secured his first Asian Tour victory after closing with a one-under-par 71 for a four-day total of 10-under-par 278 to win by four shots from American Berry Henson and Thailand's Sadom Kaewkanjana at the Al Mouj Golf in Muscat.

It marked Kanaya's fourth career professional win having previously triumphed thrice on the Japan Golf Tour.

He won the Mitsui Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo Masters in 2019 as an amateur before adding Dunlop Phoenix Tournament in 2020 and Token Homemate Cup in 2021 to his collection.

The impressive feat also saw Kanaya become the first Japanese to win an Asian Tour full-field event (non-sanctioned with JGTO) after a lapse of 13 years.

The last Japanese to accomplish the feat was Tetsuji Hiratsuka who won the 2010 Black Mountain Masters in Thailand.

Kanaya was pleased as punch after ending a close to two-year title drought.

"It is an honour to win the event, an International Series tournament," Kanaya told Asian Tour.

"It has been a difficult two years but I am so happy to finally win again," who turned professional in 2020 following an illustrious amateur career where he topped the world ranking for 55 weeks.

There were another five Japanese representatives in the commendable top 20 positions, with Ryo Hisatsune and Ryosuke Kinoshita being the next best performers in tied seventh on two-under 286.

Reigning prize money king Kazuki Higa compiled an even par 288 to finish tied 13th, followed by Hideto Tanihara and Jinichiro Kozuma in tied 17th on 289.