Global pathways driving Asian rising stars to reach golf’s promised land

Golf

Published: 01 May. 2024, 13:39 Updated: 01 May. 2024, 18:02

Global pathways driving Asian rising stars to reach golf’s promised land

Keita Nakajima of Japan, right, and Min Woo Lee of Australia shake hands after holing out on the ninth green during the second round of the ZOZO Championship at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club on October 20, 2023 in Inzai, Chiba, Japan. [GETTY IMAGES]

The establishment of strategic alliances between many of the regional golf circuits and the DP World Tour has provided new impetus for Asia’s rising stars to shoot for coveted places in golf’s promised land, known otherwise as the PGA Tour.

The DP World Tour staged tournaments in Japan and China as part of its four-leg Asian Swing that includes Singapore and India, thus allowing aspiring golfers from the four countries to dream of propelling their careers onto the highest level.

From partnerships established with the Japan Golf Tour Organisation, Korean PGA Tour, China Golf Association, Professional Golf Tour of India and PGA of Australia, the respective No. 1s from those circuits will earn DP World Tour playing status and from there, the pathway has one final destination as the Top-10 from the DP World Tour’s Race to the Dubai rankings, not otherwise exempt, will secure dual memberships and coveted PGA Tour cards.

“The PGA Tour is, of course, the ultimate tour to be on,” said Gavin Green, the only Malaysian on the DP World Tour since 2018. “I think every kid who plays always has dreams to end up there. I think the DP World Tour Top-10 to the PGA Tour is a great incentive.”

Gavin Green of Malaysia lines up a putt on the eighth green during Day 2 of the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club on July 14, 2023 in England. [GETTY IMAGES]

Golf’s international ecosystem has already begun to reap the “play better” mantra, which reinforces the ideals of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour to safeguard the concept of meritocracy in the sport. Essentially, if you become the top player at home, you get promoted to the DP World Tour, which has 44 events across the globe and approximately $150 million in prize funds. Finish top-10 there, and the PGA Tour awaits.

Last weekend's ISPS Handa Championship in Gotemba, Japan, with Mount Fuji as the backdrop, saw former world amateur No. 1, Keita Nakajima looking to scale new heights following a wire-to-wire four-stroke victory in the Hero Indian Open in March.

Naturally, he has set his sights on the PGA Tour after he joined fellow countryman Rikuya Hoshino as a winner this season on the DP World Tour, formerly the European Tour. Hoshino was victorious in Qatar in February and two other runner-up finishes lifted him up to second place on the DP World Tour rankings.

The 23-year-old Nakajima believes the new pathways are pushing aspiring golfers to aim for the stars. “I'm very grateful to the JGTO and DP World Tour,” said Nakajima, who was Japan’s No. 1 last season and is presently 15th in the Race to Dubai rankings. “Knowing that placing first on the (JGTO) money list will get you a DP World Tour card is added motivation to play better. Many Japanese players will look to compete here as a way to make it onto the PGA Tour. I hope I can continue to play well and make my way to the PGA Tour, and become an example to other Japanese players who have the same aspirations.”

Nakajima finished the ISPS Handa Championship in tied 11th with a 10-under-par, 270.

Ryo Hisatsune, 21, is another source of inspiration, although he took a slightly different route by gaining his DP World Tour playing rights through Qualifying School in Europe, which is regarded as one of the hardest tests in the game. Last September, he secured a sensational victory at the Cazoo Open de France which helped earn him a PGA Tour card for 2024. He has already posted five top-35 finishes this season and earned a special invitation to the Masters Tournament.

For others like Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who lost his PGA Tour playing rights in 2022 after spending four seasons in the U.S., a return to the DP World Tour has allowed him to find his feet again after landing in more rough than fairways in recent years. The Thai, who was in the field in Gotemba over the weekend, returned to the spotlight with a runner-up finish in the Porsche Singapore Classic in February, and knows winning a fifth career title on the DP World Tour could well pave his way back to America.

“I will leave that to the future,” the 34-year-old said about the prospects of getting back to the PGA Tour. “I’m just going to try to win on the DP World Tour again. Winning is the goal this season. My ball striking was insane (in Singapore) and feels like I’m back to where it was. I know I’ve got something in me.”

With the Volvo China Open featuring on the DP World Tour schedule this coming weekend following a four-year hiatus, the likes of Li Haotong and Wu Ashun will relish the opportunity to play on home turf.

The 28-year-old Li, who is a three-time DP World Tour winner and China’s first golfer to play in the Presidents Cup in 2019, has shown signs of a resurgence after a challenging past couple of years with indifferent form and numerous missed cuts that he cares to remember. He has never held a PGA Tour card, and it remains to be seen if he will fulfill his early promise which includes a memorable third-place finish at The Open Championship in 2017.

“So many people behind me, parents, friends, telling me how good I am, reminding me I can do this,” said Li, whose biggest career title to date was the 2018 Dubai Desert Classic where he outduelled Rory McIlroy in a head-to-head showdown. “I’ve been thinking that if I had worked this hard and still couldn’t make anything I would find something else to do. But the results tell me I can keep going.”

Later this October, the DP World Tour will return to Asia for the Genesis Championship in Korea, where the top 110 players on the Race to Dubai Rankings in partnership with Rolex earning their DP World Tour cards for 2025 at the conclusion of the tournament, while the top 70 will qualify for the DP World Tour Play-Offs. Korea’s leading golfers on the KPGA Tour will certainly be ready to fight for a win to take advantage of the opportunity to shine on home ground.

BY CHUAH CHOO CHIANG [kjdsports@joongang.co.kr]