Takumi Kanaya (, born 23 May 1998) is a Japanese professional golfer. He had an exceptionally successful amateur career and was world ranked number 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking for 55 weeks. He also won a professional event on the 2019 Japan Golf Tour while still an amateur.
Amateur career Kanaya had a successful amateur career, winning the 2015 Japan Amateur Championship and the 2018 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship. The latter gave him entry to the Masters and the Open Championship in 2019. He played in a number of representative matches, including the 2018 Eisenhower Trophy where he had the second best individual score. Kanaya won team gold medals at the 2017 Summer Universiade and at the 2018 Asian Games. He was world ranked number 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking for 55 weeks, winning the Mark H. McCormack Medal for 2020.
While still an amateur, Kanaya played in a number of professional tournaments. He was the runner-up in the 2017 Japan Open Golf Championship, a stroke behind Yuta Ikeda. He won the 2019 Mitsui Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo Masters on the Japan Golf Tour and finished tied for 3rd place in the 2019 Emirates Australian Open.
Professional career Kanaya turned professional in October 2020 and made his professional debut at the Japan Open Golf Championship, finishing in 7th place.
In November 2020, Kanaya won the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament. This was his second win in a professional tournament but his first since turning pro. The Dunlop Phoenix is regarded as one of the premier tournaments in Japan. The win moved him to 126th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
In 2024, Kanaya won the Token Homemate Cup and the ACN Championship on the Japan Golf Tour, claiming the season-long money list title, as well as being awarded the Most Valuable Player. After the conclusion of the 2024 Japan Golf Tour season, in December, Kanaya finished third at the PGA Tour Qualifying School, earning a PGA Tour card for 2025.
Amateur wins 2015 Japan High School Spring Championship, Japan Amateur Championship 2016 JHGA Spring Championship 15 - 17, Chugoku Amateur Championship 2018 Chugoku Amateur Championship, Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship
Source:
Professional wins (9) Japan Golf Tour wins (8) Legend Japan majors (1) Other Japan Golf Tour (7) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up117 Nov 2019Mitsui Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo Masters(as an amateur)−13 (73-66-63-65=267)1 stroke Shaun Norris222 Nov 2020Dunlop Phoenix Tournament−13 (68-66-68-69=271)Playoff Toshihiro Ishizaka318 Apr 2021Token Homemate Cup−11 (67-65-70=202)1 stroke Keita Nakajima (a)44 Jun 2023BMW Japan Golf Tour Championship Mori Building Cup−11 (64-71-67-71=273)2 strokes Yuki Inamori, Hiroshi Iwata53 Sep 2023Fujisankei Classic−8 (68-68-69-67=272)4 strokes Naoyuki Kataoka631 Mar 2024Token Homemate Cup (2)−23 (67-65-64-65=261)2 strokes Tatsunori Shogenji76 Oct 2024ACN Championship−20 (68-68-65-63=264)Playoff Ryu Hyun-woo821 Sep 2025ANA Open−17 (68-65-69-69=271)Playoff Ryo Ishikawa
Japan Golf Tour playoff record (3–1) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult12020Dunlop Phoenix Tournament Toshihiro IshizakaWon with birdie on fourth extra hole22023ASO Iizuka Challenged Golf Tournament Keita NakajimaLost to birdie on second extra hole32024ACN Championship Ryu Hyun-wooWon with birdie on first extra hole42025ANA Open Ryo IshikawaWon with par on second extra hole
Asian Tour wins (1) Legend International Series (1) Other Asian Tour (0) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunners-up112 Feb 2023International Series Oman−10 (69-71-67-71=278)4 strokes Berry Henson, Sadom Kaewkanjana
Results in major championships Results not in chronological order in 2020. Tournament2019202020212022202320242025Masters TournamentT58CUTPGA ChampionshipCUTCUTCUTCUTU.S. OpenCUTCUTCUTThe Open ChampionshipCUTNTCUTCUTCUTT40
"T" = tied CUT = missed the halfway cut NT = no tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic
Results in World Golf Championships Tournament 2022Match PlayR16ChampionsNT1 1Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
NT = No tournament
Team appearances Amateur Nomura Cup (representing Japan): 2015 (winners), 2017 Bonallack Trophy (representing Asia/Pacific): 2016, 2018 (winners) Eisenhower Trophy (representing Japan): 2016, 2018 Arnold Palmer Cup (representing International team): 2019 (winners)
See also 2024 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates
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