Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Keita Nakajima’s bid to earn a place on the PGA Tour may be on hold. But Rikuya Hoshino has given Japanese golf another reason to celebrate after securing his playing rights for 2025 following the conclusion of the DP World Tour season.
The 28-year-old Hoshino, who won this year’s Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in addition to six other top-10s, finished ninth in the DP World Tour Eligibility Ranking to earn dual membership on both circuits. He will now join compatriots Hideki Matsuyama, Ryo Hisatsune and Kaito Onishi on the PGA Tour next season.
“Just making it to the stage of playing on the PGA Tour has been my goal since I started playing golf, so it is really exciting,” said Hoshino.
Hisatsune, 22, was the first Japanese golfer to benefit from the advent of a career pathway created on the DP World Tour following its Strategic Alliance with the PGA Tour, a partnership that rewards the leading 10 non-exempt players with opportunities to earn dual memberships.
Hisatsune safely kept his PGA Tour card for next season after registering one top-10 and five top-25s in his rookie campaign.
Another upcoming Japanese golfer, 26-year-old Onishi, will also go toe-to-toe with the world’s best players in 2025 after securing his PGA Tour card by finishing in the top-30 of the Korn Ferry Tour this year, following one victory and two top-10s.
Onishi was a three-time participant in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC). He tied for 21st in Korea in 2016, was joint 15th in New Zealand in 2017 and equal 24th in Singapore in 2018.
Nakajima, winner of the AAC in 2021, needed a top-three finish in Dubai last weekend to leapfrog into the top-10. However, despite a brave performance that saw him tie for seventh at Jumeirah Estates, Nakajima ended his debut season on the DP World Tour in 35th place.
The achievements of Hoshino, Onishi and Hisatsune reinforce the current strength of Japanese male professionals, led by Matsuyama, a two-time winner of the AAC.
The 2021 Masters champion cemented his stature as one of the best ever Asian golfers after earning his ninth and 10th PGA Tour career titles with triumphs at The Genesis Invitational and FedEx St Jude Championship this year.
Matsuyama, the world number seven, now has the distinction of having won more PGA Tour title than any other Asian golfer.
Japan Golf Tour number one Kensei Hirata, who has won four times on his home circuit in 2024, could add further gloss for Japanese golf if he can finish amongst the top-five and ties at the PGA Tour Final Stage of Qualifying School presented by Korn Ferry next month.
Hoshino has been a commanding presence on the Japan Golf Tour for much of his career following six wins in eight years as a professional. He added his first DP World Tour title at this year’s Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, after beginning the season with back-to-back runner-up finishes in Australia last fall.
Citing Tiger Woods as the reason he pursued golf as a career, Hoshino is now looking forward to joining his countrymen on the PGA Tour and has established some goals to pursue in America.
“First, I hope to retain my PGA Tour card for the following year and, if possible, win a tournament. But most importantly, I just want to make sure I play consistently throughout the entire season and extend my status,” he said.
