His name is Naoyuki Kataoka. He was world number 500 until Monday, and this Sunday he made every golfer's dream come true: earning a spot at the Masters at Augusta and, incidentally, the British Open as well. The 27-year-old Japanese player will make his mark in 2026, one of the greatest stories of the two most established majors on the international scene.
NaoyukiKataoka, results
It all started at the end of last August. It was then that the Masters and the British Open announced a new invitation system for their 2026 editions, granting a direct spot to the champions of several of the major national Opens. Among them, Spain (won by Marco Penge), Scotland, Hong Kong, Australia, and South Africa. But also Japan, the place where Kataoka has guaranteed the fulfillment of one of his lifelong dreams: this Sunday he was crowned tournament champion, achieving the biggest victory of his career.
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This Sunday, Kataoka held on to the lead in the Japanese tournament, where he had been placed all week, to finish tied at -3 with his compatriot Satoshi Hara. The two then went to a playoff, in which Kataoka sank a par putt, compared to his opponent's bogey, to take the big leap of his career.
Located at number 500 in the world rankings, the Japanese player has taken a huge step forward to reach 355th on Monday. This is far from his best performance, a 164th place he held in 2021 after his second place in the Dunlop Phoenix on the Japanese professional circuit.
But he has more than made up for it, making one of his lifelong dreams come true. This Sunday's victory is only the second professional win for Kataoka, the Japan Players champion on the Japanese tour, the one he plays regularly, in 2021. In fact, he has only had a few forays into the Asian Tour, while his PGA Tour debut came because he has played the Zozo Championship, held in his home country, three times: curiously, he made the cut all three times.
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"It's a dream come true," Kataoka told The Japan Times after his victory. "I'm very happy to be able to play the Masters and the Open, and I'm going to prepare to give my best," said the Japanese player who has broken barriers in a big way.
He'll have a tougher challenge ahead of him at the British Tour and Augusta, but his story will undoubtedly be one of the highlights. Kataoka will be one of the biggest rewards for the greater global vision that the two tournaments aim to give golf. The distribution of the exemptions will not only allow for a greater international presence in both tournaments, but will also enable hardworking golfers like the Japanese to realize their dreams.
