Tournament article

Asia Pacific Open Golf Championship Diamond Cup Golf 2019

Katsumasa Miyamoto's SNS was stormed by celebration messages last Sunday

Katsumasa Mimamoto, who won last week's The Crowns with a dramatic ending made a great start as the Reiwa Era's first winner. Miraculous more than 10-meter birdie at the final 18th got him the 12th career victory. That night his SNS was buzzing like crazy.

Countless messages congratulating him came to him, including the last year's Order of Merit titleholder Shugo Imahira, who waited for the chance of playoff, praised him saying "congrats". Shugo was once a leader with the birdie on 17th but failed to save par on the last hole and lost.

Katsumasa saw how the game playout so dramatically on the video later on. He answered to Shugo saying "I know you will have so many other chances to win in the future. This could be my last. I guess this year, seniors are favored."
Shugo replied politely saying "It is my pleasure to be playing with you."
Which made Katsumasa feel a bit better.

College mate Shigo Katayama, who will be playing on the same group for the first 2 days gave Katsumasa heartwarming message.
"Shingo wrote a really nice message to me", thanked Katsumasa.

Also, another college mate, Kaname Yokoo game him message too, these 3 are known as 3 musketeers from Nippon University. But Kaname doesn't have the spot in this week's tournament, he tried for the Monday qualifier, but failed.
"I couldn't make it, but good luck" Kaname sent.
3 of them has been professional golfers for more than 25 years, but their friendship hasn't changed since they were in college.

Hiroyuki Fujita, who greeted Katsumasa with their teak leader Nobuo Serizawa at the 18th hole last week said that "Katsumasa's win motivated me to do better."

The dramatic and emotional win of the first victory in Reiwa Era has boost the players to fire up at the events following after.