Nakajima eyes PGA Tour card after victory in Indian Open

Nakajima set his sights on a PGA Tour card after claiming his first DP World Tour victory at the Hero Indian Open.

The Japanese is one of the rising stars of the game, winningthejapangolftourorder of merit in his first full season as a professional having spent a record 87 weeks at the top of the amateur rankings.

After claiming four victories in his homeland, he now has one in just his 11th appearance on the DP World Tour despite dropping four shots in his final five holes in New Delhi.

The 23-year-old started the day four shots ahead and essentially had the title sewn up by the turn, opening up a nine-shot advantage after turning in 33.

That gave him enough breathing room for his late stumble and his closing 73 saw him finish at 17 under and win by four shots from India’s Veer Ahlawat, Swede Sebastian Soderberg and American Johannes Veerman.

Nakajima made his professional debut with a tie for 12th at the 2022 Zozo Championship on the PGA Tour and he

Keita Nakajima of Japan poses with the Hero Indian Open trophy

is now aiming to claim one of the 10 cards available on the US circuit via the Race to Dubai, having climbed to 13th in the rankings with his win.

“I feel like this is the first win of a new professional career,” he said. “This is my first year playing on the DP World Tour and I’m very proud to have won on the DP World Tour and very honoured to be playing here.

“I want to try and finish on the top 10 on this tour and then go to the PGA Tour in 2025.”

Four birdies on the front nine contributed to Nakajikeita

ma’s healthy lead at the turn, with just a single bogey on the par four seventh. He parred the first four holes on his back nine before a double bogey on the 14th saw his lead cut to five strokes.

Nakajima recovered with a birdie on the 15th to move six strokes ahead and he then bogeyed each of his last three holes to sign for a one over 73.

Nakajima’s victory is the third win in seven months on the DP World Tour by players from Japan as he joins Open de France champion Ryo Hisatsune and Rikuya Hoshino,

who won the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in February, in the winner’s circle.

“I felt very comfortable heading into the front nine with an eight stroke lead, but the back nine was playing very tough today and I didn’t have the best finish, but very happy to have gotten it done in the end,” added Nakajima.

“There were a number of tough holes on the back and I was frustrated with my play finishing with three consecutive bogies and of course the double bogey, but fortunately I had a few strokes in the bank which I can credit back to my strong play on the front nine and the earlier rounds this week, so overall very proud of my performance.

“The win definitely gives me a lot of confidence in myself and hoping now to take what I did this week and turn it into even more wins in the future.”

Soderberg and Veerman carded matching five under par 67s to share second along with Ahlawat, who carded an eagle on the last in front of a raucous crowd on his home course to join them on 13 under par.

Ewen Ferguson finished as the leading Scot on one under par after a closing 76, with Calumhillafurthershotadrift following a final round 75.