Keita Nakajima’s 87 total weeks as the No. 1-ranked men’s amateur golfer in the world.

The 22-year-old from Japan relinquished his hold on the top spot of the World Amateur Golf Ranking last month when he announced his much anticipated decision to turn pro. With little fanfare — at least outside of Japan — Nakajima played for pay the last two weeks on the Japan Golf Tour, finishing T-48 at the Panasonic Open (which he won a year ago as an amateur) and T-26 at the Vantelin Tokai Classic. He also seems to be in line to earn an exemption into next week’s Zozo Championship, co-sanctioned by the JGT and the PGA Tour.

Replacing Nakajima in the WAGR standings is Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg, a fifth-year senior at Texas Tech. Japan’s Taiga Semikawa is second with American Sam Burnett, winner of the US Amateur in August, third.

Nakajima first rose to No. 1 in November 2020 where he stayed for 13 weeks before being jumped by Davis Thompson. Less than two months later, Nakajima took back the top spot from Pierceson Coody (who topped Thompson for one lone week) and held it ever since. During his time atop the WAGR, Nakajima had four top-10 finishes in JGT events as an amateur, include the Panasonic victory. In addition, he made the cut in two PGA Tour events (T-28 at the 2021 Zozo Championship and 41st at the Sony Open). His record also notably included a victory at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Dubai in 2021, which earned him a spot into this year’s Masters and Open Championship (he missed the cut in both, as well as the US Open at The Country Club).

During this second stint at No. 1, Nakajima passed Jon Rahm, who had been the previous record holder for most total weeks atop the WAGR at 60 before he turned pro in 2016.

Nakajima benefited from this year’s change in amateur status rules that allowed him to make money off his name, image and likeness while remaining an amateur. Before his Masters appearance in April he signed an equipment deal with TaylorMade.

Why might Nakajima’s record be unbreakable? After all, 87 weeks isn’t event two full years? Well, sustaining your game for that long a period as an amateur is a challenge on its own. And if you’re good enough to keep it going, the lure of pro golf and its big bucks — even bigger now with the emergence of LIV Golf potentially attracting top amateur players — is likely to have players jump quickly to maximise their value or risk seeing it decrease when they came potentially slows down.

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The post Dubai Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship Nakajima goes pro, and takes a bit of history with him appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Other than some sleep, only one other thing was missing as he prepared for the Asian Tour’s first competition in the UK — his clubs.

The Zimbabwean will compete at Slaley Hall Hotel to compete in the landmark $2 million event.

“I’m feeling good but obviously I would love my clubs to be here but that’s not the case right now,” the 30-year-old told the Asian Tour. “We don’t know when they are due to arrive, but we’ll give them a call.”

He beat Australian Anthony Quail on the second extra hole to win the Mizuno Open  at the weekend after starting seven-shots behind the Australian overnight leader Quail.

Vincent added: “It was a bit of a surprise because I was coming from so far behind. It was absolutely amazing, it kind of all worked in my favour. It was a great day, some really good golf and fun to get into a playoff and come through with a win because I have been in many playoffs that have not gone my way.

“I feel pretty good. I have just got to get used to the weather and England, it’s a completely different style of golf. I am excited to play, excited for the opportunity. It’s fun walking the course, seeing the different grasses and different shots we have to hit. I am not so sure about the wind and weather up here. I know it can get rainy and cold so got to prepare and get ready for that.”

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The post Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent arrives in Newcastle for Asian Tour’s International Series England after 24-hour trip — and without his clubs appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Matt Smith
Scott Vincent sensationally booked his spot at the Open Championship at St Andrew with victory on the Japan Golf Tour Organisation Mizuno Open on Sunday.

The Zimbabwean looked down and out going into the final round at at JFE Setonaikai Golf Club as he was seven strokes behind overnight leader Australian Anthony Quail, but a brilliant seven-under 65 took him into a playoff with Quail.

A par by Vincent on what was their third visit to the 18th was enough for Vincent to claim his third JGTO title.

Last year he won twice in Japan: first at the Sansan KBC Augusta in August, then the ANA Open the following month.

Vincent and Quail finished tied on 12-under, while Australian Brad Kennedy, who like Vincent is also an Asian Tour member, finished in solo possession of third, two strokes back.

“I had no idea where I was standing [on the leaderboard] when I walked up to 18 and when I realised that I was sitting second, at that stage, that was pretty amazing,” said Vincent, who is competing in this week’s International Series England at Slaley Hall, near Newcastle.

“Each week, I don’t really try to worry too much about the expectations. I just focus on sticking to my routine and giving myself the best chance. And this is one of those weeks that has worked out well for me.”

The Zimbabwean’s victory means he will be able to make his debut in a Major.

He added: “I’m really excited about playing my first Major, especially as it’s St Andrews, the Home of Golf. It’s been a goal of mine since the start of the year to try to get into one of the Majors. I missed out on qualifying for the US Open, but I was able to secure it today. So, this is special and I’m very happy.”

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The post Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent books Open Championship spot with Mizuno Open triumph in Japan appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Choi won the Japan Golf Tour’s HEIWA PGM Championship on Sunday, but it was the way in which he won that had Golf Twitter buzzing. Faced with a 20-footer breaking putt to break the tie on the tournament’s 71st hole, the 46-year-old Japanese golfer delivered in a way only he can. And one that makes Kevin Na’s walk-ins tame by comparison. Check it out:

The most clutch putt of 2019. @GolfBetter2son @EPatGolf pic.twitter.com/vkS5IQeDHq

— Hosung Tracker (@HosungHighlight) November 10, 2019

The body language. The gyrations. The fist pumps. The leg pumps. Absolutely electric. We’re not sure what to call this. The Choi Charge? The Ho-sung Shuffle?

Regardless, Choi’s dramatic theatrical make wound up being the difference in the tournament. Here is his slightly-less-electric winning tap-in minutes later, which was also captured by Ho-sung Tracker (LOL):

HE DID IT!

HOSUNG CHOI IS A WINNER AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/ENTi85TJOy

— Hosung Tracker (@HosungHighlight) November 10, 2019

It’s Choi’s third career Japan Golf Tour win of the year and he moved up nearly 100 spots in the Official World Golf Ranking to No. 162. In the unofficial entertainment ranking, however, he remained No. 1. Let’s hope the Ho-sung Show gets to air a few more times in the U.S. next year.

The post Ho-sung Choi, still doing Ho-sung Choi things, provides the most electric winning putt of 2019 appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Twenty-three years have passed since he took down one of golf’s bona fide heavyweights, Greg Norman, on two of golf’s greatest stages, the U.S. Open and Shinnecock Hills.

He delivered a knockout punch with a 4-wood from the fairway at the 450-yard par-4 18th hole, 209 yards to the front, 228 to the hole, a clutch shot that still resonates today, on the eve of another U.S. Open at Shinnecock.

“I was one up with that shot to go,” he said recently. “Greg Norman and Tom Lehman were two holes behind me. In my mind if I make par there I would very likely win. With having that in my head I had to throw that out and concentrate on the shot.”

He asked caddie Eric Schwarz whether he could get a 2-iron there. No, you can’t, Schwarz replied. They agreed, “100 percent,” that 4-wood was the correct club, Pavin said.

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WATCH NOW: WHAT’S AT STAKE AT THE U.S. OPEN AT SHINNECOCK

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“The wind was blowing 15, 20 miles an hour right to left. I could see the top of the flag. That was it. I decided to aim at the right edge of green and hit a little draw, the normal routing. The second I hit it I knew it was good.”

It was better than good. It was perfect, the ball stopping five feet from the hole. It clinched a U.S. Open victory, the capstone to a career worthy of Hall of Fame consideration—15 wins on the PGA Tour, one on the European Tour win, two on the Japan Golf Tour and a Ryder Cup captaincy.

Pavin, now 58, represented where the game was in 1995 with that 4-wood, a club now virtually obsolete in professional golf, and how he played the 18th hole at Shinnecock. From the tee, he worked the ball left to right into the wind with his driver to better his odds of hitting the fairway, then hit the 4-wood second shot right to left with a helping wind into the green.

Pavin was a legendary shotmaker who eschewed a linear path to the target. “It was hard for me to get up and hit a hard straight shot,” he said. “To me it’s kind of boring.”

David Cannon

As for where the game is now, the uphill 18th hole at Shinnecock Hills has been stretched by 35 yards, its scorecard length for the Open 485 yards. What club might players be hitting into the green at this U.S. Open?

“If conditions are favorable, if it’s not playing into the wind, a guy like Dustin Johnson might be hitting driver and wedge,” Pavin said. “Maybe some guys would hit 3-wood and 8-iron.”

Clearly the game has changed, or, for those who prefer euphemisms, it has evolved. The equipment, among other factors, has increased the emphasis on power and diminished the value of shaping shots, given the inability of the ball to spin to the same degree it once did.

Pavin, a PGA Tour Champions regular, does not necessarily lament the changes, notwithstanding the fact his skill set has been devalued as a result. He’ll never be long, and those who are long are less concerned with hitting it crooked as they once might have been.

“Guys are hitting it a lot farther. The balls go farther, the clubs go farther, players are stronger,” Pavin said. “It’s a combination of a lot of things. The ball doesn’t curve as much. It doesn’t spin as much, so it’s harder to curve. It’s just the way game’s gone. If it’s good or bad, I can’t answer that.

“Personally I’d like to see the ball come back and not go as far. Obviously that would help me, but not for that reason. So much has to be done to golf courses now to lengthen them and change them. Courses are becoming obsolete.”

If he was, say, 32 today, would he be as competitive as he once was? “Zach Johnson is a great example,” Pavin replied. “He’s a guy who moves the ball, is not a long hitter and figures out a way to get it done.

“If I was 32 [now], I’d play a different style of golf. I would have been brought up differently. But if I played now the way I did, how would I do? The question is not answerable. You wouldn’t be using the same equipment. I would like to believe I would find a way to be competitive, that I’d figure out a way to get the ball in the hole as quickly as possible.”

Pavin’s offense is not directed at the equipment or the players, but at the USGA for having become more accommodating of how the game is played today.

“I’m a little miffed at the USGA lately with how it’s setting up courses,” he said. “I applaud them on the one hand, trying to do different things. But to me, U.S. Open golf courses have fairways 25 to 32 yards wide and long rough right off the fairway. It puts a premium in putting the tee shot in the fairway, leaving you clean iron shots into the green. That’s the U.S. Open to me.

“I’ve heard people who’ve said the fairways at Shinnecock are 40-yards-plus wide. I find that sad. It’s nice when a golf course is set up the same way over a long period of time, that it’s a constant. It’s nice to compare different eras.

“I think the great thing about the U.S. Open in general is that it tests all phases of your game. That’s what I love about the U.S. Open. You have to hit it straight and it tests your iron play, your short game. You have to manage your game and there are a lot of things that go into it.”

Meanwhile, there is a historic 4-wood in a display case in Pavin’s home, and one could argue that a more appropriate place for it is the World Golf Hall of Fame. But this is an argument for another day.

What is undeniable is that a wedge used to help finish off an Open victory (short of holing out for eagle), rather than taking its place in history, will remain in play until its grooves wear out.

Yes, the game has changed.

The post Corey Pavin on a 4-wood for posterity and the club some might use to reach the 18th at Shinnecock Hills now appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.