Tokyo, Japan: Takumi Kanaya, number one on the World Amateur Golf Ranking and winner of the 2020 McCormack Medal, has ended months of speculation by turning professional.

The 22-year-old, who has enjoyed a stellar amateur career, has signed with WME Sports for worldwide management to represent all his commercial activities.

Over the course of the past three years, Kanaya climbed to the pinnacle of the amateur golf rankings. He represented Japan in both the 2018 Asian Games and the 2018 World Amateur Team Championships, where he placed second individually.

Kanaya won the 2018 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, which secured invitations to both The Masters and The Open last year, making the cut at Augusta. He has already firmed up his return to The Open next year after a third-place finish at the 2019 Australian Open, which saw him qualify as part of The Open Qualifying Series.

Last November, Kanaya won the Mitsui Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo Masters with a remarkable eagle at the 72nd hole to become only the fourth amateur to win a professional event in the history of the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO).

Kanaya said: “I am very grateful to the Japan Golf Association (JGA) and to Mr Abe and the Tohoku Fukushi University (TFU) for their support throughout my amateur career. I will stay closely aligned to both as I still plan to graduate from TFU next spring and my instructor is Gareth Jones, Head Coach of the JGA. I am also excited to partner with WME Sports in this next chapter, whose global expertise will help guide and shape my career.”

Jay Danzi, Head of Golf Clients at WME Sports, said: “We are delighted to have signed Takumi. With our worldwide network, expertise and resources, we are confident that we will be able to deliver for Takumi both within Japan and around the world. His ability is matched by a great work ethic and personality, and we look forward to a long and successful partnership.”

Taimur Hassan Amin, Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation, said: “In winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship and representing the APGC with distinction at the last Bonallack Trophy, Takumi proved himself to be an impressive young man both on and off the course.

“All of us at the APGC will be closely following his progress in the years ahead and wish him every success in this exciting new chapter in what promises to be an exceptional career.”

Kanaya will make his professional debut at the Japan Open Championship (October 15-18). Already exempt on the JGTO though 2021, Kanaya also hopes to position himself as an international player and will aim to play his way on to the European Tour by 2022.

Kanaya joins a WME Sports stable that includes Americans Patrick Cantlay, Jordan Spieth and Danielle Kang; European Ryder Cup Captain Padraig Harrington and 2018 Open champion Francesco Molinari.