Kanaya clinches top gong as award winners get recognised at 2024 JGTO Awards ceremony

Eight standouts including newly crowned JGTO money ranking champion Takumi Kanaya were honoured for their outstanding performances during the 2024 season at the JGTO Awards ceremony on Monday.
 
Held at the ANA InterContinental Hotel located in downtown Tokyo following the conclusion of the season-ending Golf Nippon Series JT Cup, the annual awards ceremony also marked the climax of a long and enthralling season.
 
Takumi Kanaya, named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the season, capped an incredible season by overtaking Kensei Hirata on the final day to claim his first money ranking title with his outright third-place finish. 
 
The 26-year-old entered the season-ending event trailing Hirata by about ¥2.9 million in the money standings. But a closing three-under-par 67 was good enough for him to pip Hirata to the title after the latter, who has won four times this season, had to settle for 17^th place.
 
Kanaya, who could not attend the ceremony because he had to be in the US for the second stage of the PGA Tour Qualifying School this week, closed his season with total earnings of ¥119,551,222 to clinch the top gong. Apart from topping the Mercedes-Benz Total point ranking, Kanaya also picked up four other stats awards including Scoring Average, Par or Better, Greens in Regulation and Total Driving.
 
Speaking to the media before he left for America, Kanaya said: “Winning the money ranking title means a lot to me as this is obviously the most prestigious one that every player aims to win each year. I put in a lot of hard work and focused on improving every aspect of my game every day. I’m pleased it has paid off.”
 
20224 JGTO Roll of Honour
MVP: Takumi Kanaya
Money Ranking: Takumi Kanaya
Mercedes-Benz Total Point Ranking: Takumi Kanaya
Rookie of the Year Shimada Trophy: Kensei Hirata
ABEMA Tour Money Ranking: Taisei Yamada
Scoring Average: Takumi Kanaya
Putting Average: Taisei Shimizu
Par or Better: Takumi Kanaya
Greens In Regulation: Takumi Kanaya
Birdie Or Better: Taisei Shimizu
Eagles per Round: Takahiro Hataji
Driving Distance: Riki Kawamoto
Driving Accuracy Percentage: Yuki Inamori
Sand Save: Sejun Hiramoto
Total Driving: Takumi Kanaya
Golf Media Award: Kensei Hirata
 
Ends.