Ishikawa claims one-shot victory at JAPAN PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP by Satosyokuhin for 19th JGTO win

Ryo Ishikawa secured his first JGTO title in 20 months with a victory at the JAPAN PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP by Satosyokuhin on Sunday.

The 32-year-old concluded the tournament with a four-under-par 68, finishing at 21-under 267 to narrowly defeat Kota Kaneko (67) by a shot at the Nishinasuno Country Club in Tochigi.

This triumph quickly erased the disappointment of Ishikawa's playoff loss to Hiroshi Iwata at the BMW Japan Golf Tour Championships Mori Building Cup two weeks ago.

With this victory, Ishikawa's total win count on the JGTO stands at 19, tying him for 12th place with Hideto Tanihara on the list of all-time Tour winners.

Beginning the final round two strokes adrift of overnight leader Yuki Kono, Ishikawa struck early with birdies on the fifth and seventh holes, reaching the turn at 34.

He encountered a minor setback with a bogey on the 11th hole, but quickly rebounded with an impressive quartet of birdies over the five-hole stretch starting from the 13th. 

This remarkable run propelled him into a commanding two-shot lead as he approached the 18th hole.

With victory in sight, Ishikawa's second dropped shot of the day at the last proved inconsequential.

“I was tied for the lead on the front nine, bogeyed the 11th, regained a share of the lead on the 13th and 14th, and played solid golf in the final six holes," said Ishikawa.

"Competing for the victory brought a unique pressure that tested me and fueled adrenaline in a positive way. It was a satisfying pressure,” said Ishikawa, whose last victory was winning the Mitsui Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo Masters in November 2022.

Despite his track record as a serial winner, Ishikawa described today's victory as a significant breakthrough.

"This win marks a significant breakthrough for me," said Ishikawa. 

“At the Tour Championship two weeks ago, I tied for first in strokes over four days despite finishing second overall. I carried that momentum into this tournament, leading after the second day."

"Winning while leading posed more challenges and proved more valuable than coming from behind," Ishikawa added. 

"The pressure of maintaining a lead pushed me to grow. I learned to stay competitive even when facing adversity, rather than lowering my expectations. This experience taught me that overcoming challenges during a tournament can lead to personal growth."

Despite narrowly missing out on a career breakthrough win, the tournament was a memorable one for 21-year-old Kaneko. His solo second-place finish marks his highest achievement on the Tour to date. 

Before this week, Kaneko's most notable result was a tie for third at the Japan Open last year.

"I maintained an aggressive approach, anticipating that the winning score would be around 22 to 23-under-par,” said Kaneko, who carded seven birdies to offset two bogeys.

"There were moments when things could have taken a turn for the worse, but I managed to hold on, and I feel like I've grown from this experience.

"My goal is to carry this momentum into the Sega Sammy Cup and compete for the win again. I'm confident that if I play at the level I did this week, I'll have a good chance."

South Korea's Ryu Hyun-woo completed a remarkable turnaround, transitioning from being in danger of missing the cut to finishing in a commendable tie for third place with Hiroki Tanaka at 19-under overall.

Ryu saved his best for the finale, firing a 63, highlighted by a sizzling 29 on the back nine.

Tanihara, the defending champion from last year, also made a notable appearance on the final day as he shot a 65 to share ninth place at 17-under with five others, including Kono.

Kono's hope for a fairy tale run was not to be. Any chance for the 36-year-old ABEMA Tour player to finally secure a JGTO win vanished the moment he scored a disastrous 'nine' on the par-four 15th hole.

Kono recounted the incident: "I hit a nine-iron from 151 yards out of the semi-rough. The ball flew and ended up in the bush. Someone had found a Bridgestone ball earlier and said, 'Here it is!' Without checking, I hit it, only to realise it was the wrong ball.

"My mind went blank. After that, when I searched for my actual ball, it was in an unplayable position, so I had to go back and hit again. My sixth shot landed in the bunker, and I ended up with a ‘nine’ on that hole.

“Despite missing fairways on the front nine, I stayed in contention for the win. Holding my nerve was a valuable experience. By remaining calm, I believe I can get closer to victory.”

Leading final round scores:

267: Ryo Ishikawa 66-64-69-68;

268: Kota Kaneko 63-68-70-67;

269: Ryu Hyun-woo (Kor) 73-67-66-63, Hiroki Tanaka 66-66-70-67;

270: Tsubasa Ukita 66-68-69-67, Ryuko Tokimatsu 66-70-67-67, Suguru Shimoke 70-62-69-69, Taiko Nishiyama 69-64-67-70;

271: Hideto Tanihara 71-68-67-65, Ryo Noro 66-72-68-65, Ryuichi Oiwa 70-67-68-66, Kosuke Sunagawa 70-66-69-66, Ryo Katsumata 67-69-67-68, Yuki Kono 64-69-64-74.