Semikawa aims to punch above his weight again at Panasonic Open

JGTO sensation Taiga Semikawa heads to Onotoyo Golf Club in Hyogo this week with heightened aspirations, aiming to successfully defend his Panasonic Open title.

Last year, this very tournament spotlighted Semikawa's meteoric rise when he clinched victory, becoming only the sixth amateur to win a JGTO event. He achieved this feat by edging out Aguri Iwasaki by a single shot.

This remarkable feat also marked the first time in JGTO history that the same tournament has been won two years in succession by an amateur player. The 2021 edition was won by Keita Nakajima, who was an amateur at the time.

Semikawa's triumph was far from a one-off. Just a month later, he made history once more, securing the title at the Japan Open, a JGTO major.

In doing so, he became the first amateur champion of the event in nearly a century, a milestone that hadn’t been reached in 95 years.

Semikawa's determination to hold onto his title this week goes beyond the desire to be the first player to win this tournament multiple times since it began in 2008.

In addition to the title defence, he has set his sights on climbing the JGTO money list. Currently sitting in the third position, he is trailing the leader, Keita Nakajima, by more than ¥30 million.

So far, Semikawa has pocketed ¥68,774,892 in this season's earnings. However, he has a significant gap to bridge, with Nakajima leading the pack at ¥100,654,179. Close on his heels, in second place, is Takumi Kanaya with a tally of ¥97,308,999.

"Even if I can't win, if I can finish in the top positions and narrow the gap even a little, that will still be good progress," said Semikawa, who finished tied sixth at the ANA Open last week.

Although he hasn't won titles as frequently, Semikawa has performed commendably in his rookie year as a pro. This season, he secured his first title as a professional by triumphing at the Kansai Open in April.

He also has five top-five finishes to his name, three of which saw him as the runner-up at the Golf Partner Pro-Am Tournament, Japan PGA Championship, and Yokohama Minato Championship.

However, Semikawa isn't content with his achievements to date, particularly when his 23-year-old contemporaries, Nakajima (who won the ASO Iizuka Challenge Golf Tournament and Yokohama Minato Championship) and Kensei Hirata (who clinched the Mizuno Open and Japan PGA Championship), have both bagged two titles this season.

"Since both of my peers have done it, I really want to catch up with them," he remarked."

After skipping last week's event, a well-rested Nakajima is back in action, aiming to win the tournament for the second time and further solidify his position atop the money list.

The tournament promises to be exhilarating, with all but one of the current top 10 money leaders participating this week. Shugo Imahira is the sole absentee.

In-form Hideto Tanihara, fresh from his ANA Open victory last week, aspires to clinch the Panasonic Open title for the second time, having been its inaugural champion in 2008.