Inamori prevails over Song to clinch season’s first win

Yuki Inamori emerged as the inaugural winner of the ACN Championship Golf Tournament, defeating South Korea's Song Young-han on the first playoff hole at the Sanko Golf Club on Sunday.

A par on the par-four 18th hole secured Inamori his first JGTO victory of the season and his fifth overall. Both he and the in-form Song completed the final round on 17-under-par 271.

Starting the day two shots adrift of overnight leader Shugo Imahira, Inamori surged to the top of the leaderboard, posting a six-under 66 that included seven birdies.

His sole bogey came on the 18th, preventing an outright tournament victory and leading to a playoff, which was played on the same hole. Song, delivering a stellar bogey-free 66, matched him to force the tiebreaker.

During the playoff, although Song's opening shot landed in a bunker, Inamori couldn't capitalise on it as his second shot also found a bunker to the right of the green.

However, Inamori displayed resilience, placing his following shot within approximately one meter and then sinking a crucial putt.

"I took lessons from that earlier bogey and ensured I got things right this time," remarked Inamori, who hadn't clinched a title since his victory at the Japan Players Championship by Sato Syokuhin the previous May.

This triumph was well-earned for Inamori, who had consistently secured eight top-10 placements this year.

He previously neared victory at the Yokohama Minato Championship, leading for the first three rounds but faltering on the final day to finish tied for fifth.

An emotional Inamori said: "I've grappled with my swing since summer. But in spite of the challenges, I held on until the very end today. Winning this inaugural event, especially under the new sponsorship, is truly an honour."

For Song, this marks his third consecutive runner-up finish, a streak that began at the ANA Open four weeks ago.

His form is shaping up nicely as the season approaches its final stretch. He's confident that a win is just around the corner, building on his earlier triumph at the Sansan KBC Augusta.

"I was confident the par putt would go in, but it just didn't break as expected towards the end. However, credit must be given to Inamori for his exceptional bunker shot," Song commented.

"Even though I recorded a bogey in the playoff, I completed the main 18 holes flawlessly, indicating a commendable performance. Despite the loss, I'm proud of my effort.

"The upcoming tournaments are all major ones. While Inamori clinched the title this time, I'm geared up to secure victories in the forthcoming key events."

Shaun Norris from South Africa is priming himself for next week's Japan Open, a title he's eager to reclaim after his 2019 win.

He shot a 67 to conclude in a season-best third place with 274, one shot ahead of Imahira, who experienced a challenging day, managing only a 72 at a critical juncture.

Imahira had a promising start, notching five birdies over the first 12 holes, keeping him in the running. But his momentum faltered with his first bogey on the 13th, and things unravelled from there. He went on to lose four more shots, including a double bogey on the 16th.

"Until midway through the latter part of the front nine, I was on track. But the bogey on the 13th was a turning point. From there, regaining my rhythm was tough, leading to the eventual outcome," reflected Imahira.

"While the result is disappointing, I believe such experiences are invaluable for future competitions."

Leading final round scores:

271: Yuki Inamori 68-67-70-66, Song Young-han (Kor) 68-69-68-66;

274: Shaun Norris (Rsa) 67-70-70-67;

275: Shugo Imahira 69-63-71-72;

276: Ryo Noro 72-68-770-66, Mikiya Akutsu 71-69-68-68,

277: Tomoyo Ikemura 71-67-71-68, Yosuke Asaji 69-67-72-69, Koshiro Maeda 70-71-68-68, Tomohiro Kondo 66-67-72-72, Ryu Hyun-woo (Kor) 66-68-72-71.