Singapore: Yuta Sugiura’s starring role in the 29th Nomura Cup has catapulted him into the top-25 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) for the first time.

With scores of 67, 69, 70 and 68, Sugiura posted a 14-under-par 274 total over the Masters Course at Manila Southwoods Golf & Country Club.

In so doing he not only led Japan to a 10th title in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Golf Team Championship, but also had the distinction of finishing as the leading individual.

Thanks to that performance he has risen 11 spots in the WAGR to a personal best 21st.

With Keita Nakajima and Taiga Semikawa, who both held the WAGR number one position this year, having turned pro, Sugiura is now the second highest-rated Japanese player in the standings behind only Kosuke Suzuki (16th).

The only two other Asia-Pacific representatives ahead of Sugiura are Thailand’s Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat (14th) and China’s Ding Wenyi, this year’s US Junior Amateur champion who is 17th.

Singapore’s James Leow, runner-up to Sugiura at the Nomura Cup, advanced eight places to join the top-50 in 46th spot. Leow is expected to turn professional in the coming weeks.

Also on the rise is China’s Hou Zenghao who has broken into the top-500 following his three-shot win in the HSBC China Junior Open.

Hou carded rounds of 70 and 73 for a 143 total, and his third win this year, all in his homeland. He is 178 positions better off in 477th.

In the girls’ category, victory went to Xie Xinni. Rounds of 74 and 76 gave Xie a one-shot success that has taken her up 256 spots to 778th.

In Thailand, Achiraya Sriwong followed her recent Thai Ladies Amateur Open victory with a seven-stroke win in the Qualify for National Team tournament. Rounds of 69, 72, 68 and 71 gave her a 280 aggregate and a successful title defence that saw her soar 386 places in the WAGR to 279th.