Exempt status

• PGA TOUR: 9. Winners of PGA TOUR co-sponsored or approved tournaments, whose victories are considered official, within the last two seasons, or during the current season; winners receive an additional season of exemption for each additional win, up to five seasons:

JOINED TOUR

• Korn Ferry Tour: 2015
• PGA TOUR: 2018

PGA TOUR Victories (1)

• 2018 RBC Heritage

International Victories (8)

• 2012 PGA JGTO challenge Cup II in Boso [Jpn Chall]
• 2013 Japan Golf Tour Championship [Jpn]
• 2014 Dunlop Srixon Fukushima Open [Jpn]
• 2015 Japan Open [Jpn]
• 2016 Bridgestone Open [Jpn]
• 2017 Top Cup Tokai Classic [Jpn]
• 2017 Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters [Jpn]
• 2018 Golf Nippon Series JT Cup

National Teams

• 2010 Eisenhower Trophy
• 2018 World Cup

Personal

• Married to Miho Koga, a former professional golfer who won 12 times on the Japanese LPGA Tour. She retired from professional golf in 2011. The pair married in 2017.

Career Highlights

2018 Season

Advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs for the first time, earning PGA TOUR membership with a win at the RBC Heritage. Made eight cuts in 18 starts but missed the cut in each of the first two Playoffs events to end his season No. 94 in the FedExCup. Became one of 11 first-time PGA TOUR winners with his victory in Hilton Head Island, his lone top-10 of the season. Joined Brooks Koepka as one of two players to record an albatross during the season.

• Golf Nippon Series JT Cup: Won a three-way playoff against Ryo Ishikawa and Jung-Gon Hwang at the Golf Nippon Series JT Cup for his seventh Japan Golf Tour victory. Closed with a bogey-free 6-under 64 to force the playoff. Made par on the first extra hole (par-3 18th) for the victory.
• RBC Heritage: Defeated Si Woo Kim in a playoff at the RBC Heritage to win his first PGA TOUR title in his 15th start at the age of 28 years, 7 months, 4 days. Became the first non-member to win on TOUR since Danny Willett at the 2016 Masters Tournament. After opening the RBC Heritage with a 2-over 73, bounced back with an 8-under 63 in round two (the low round of the week) before closing with rounds of 70-66 to force the playoff. After finishing 12-under 272, went on to birdie the third extra hole (par-3 17th) to defeat Kim, holing a 24-foot, 6-inch putt. Entered the week No. 46 in the Official World Golf Ranking, with the victory topping his previous-best TOUR finish at the previous week's Masters Tournament (T28). Became the first player from Japan to win on the PGA TOUR since Hideki Matsuyama at the 2017 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. In addition, became the sixth consecutive come-from-behind winner at the RBC Heritage, joining Wesley Bryan (2017), Branden Grace (2016), Jim Furyk (2015), Matt Kuchar (2014) and Graeme McDowell (2013).

2017 Season

• Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters: Won a second Japan Golf Tour title in the 2017 season at the Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters, defeating Yusaku Miyazato by three strokes with rounds of 63-72-70-65–270 (-18). With the win, moved to No. 53 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
• Top Cup Tokai Classic: Earned his first title of the season on the Japan Golf Tour at the Top Cup Tokai Classic. Won by one stroke over countryman Ryuko Tokimatsu.

2015 Season

• Japan Open Golf Championship: Enjoyed a Japan Golf Tour victory for a third consecutive year when, in mid-October, he fired a 10-under 62 during the second round of the Japan Open Golf Championship. Parlayed that into a two-shot, 36-hole lead then maintained that two-shot advantage through the third round following a 2-under 70. On the final day, his even-par 72 was just enough to hold off Yuta Ikeda, whose 71 left him a stroke shy. Marked his second major win on the Japan Golf Tour.
• Asia-Pacific Golf Championship Diamond Cup: Was T7 at the Asia-Pacific Golf Championship Diamond Cup Golf in late-September. Trailed 54-hole leader K.T. Kim by two strokes with a round to play. Dropped into a T7 after a 2-over 72 at Otone CC's West Course left him six shots behind Kim's leading pace.
• Dunlop Srixon Fukushima Open: Added a second T5 five starts later by using four rounds in the 60s to earn the top-10 at the Dunlop Srixon Fukushima Open. His 67-66 start gave him the 36-hole lead.
• Japan Golf Tour Championship Mori Building Cup: Second top-10 came at the Japan Golf Tour Championship Mori Building Cup. Opened with a 2-under 69 then rattled off three consecutive 70s to T5.
• The Crowns: Earned an early top-10 on the Japan Golf Tour when he used a third-round 66 to T8 at The Crowns.

2014 Season

Played 21 Japan Golf Tour events, winning once, recording seven top-25s and finishing 20th in earnings.

• Web.com Tour Q-School: Finished T103 at Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament in December.
• Second stage Qualifying Tournament: Lapped the second stage Qualifying Tournament field by 13 shots in cold weather at Kingwood, Texas. Fired a final-round 63 during a day when the high temperature was 45.
• Casio World Open: In his next-to-last start of the campaign, was T3 at Casio World Open, one of six players tied at 11-under, six shots behind Katayama.
• Japan Open: Despite four rounds in the 60s, finished T2 at the Japan Open, tying with Shingo Katayama, a stroke behind winner Yuta Ikeda.
• Dunlop Srixon Fukushima Open: Won for the second year in a row, capturing the Dunlop Srixon Fukushima Open in August. Shot rounds of 72-68-64-68 to finish two shots ahead of Yuki Inamori at Grandee Nasushirakawa GC.

2013 Season

Earned a career-high eight top-25 performances in his third year.

• World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational: Played in the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational on the PGA TOUR in August where he finished T65.
• Golf Nippon Series JT Cup: Completed the year with a T9 at the Golf Nippon Series JT Cup.
• Casio World Open: Added a T12 at the Casio World Open.
• Ana Open: Opened the Ana Open with 70-74 but prevailed on the weekend with 69-67 for a T11.
• Nagashima Shigeo Invitational Sega Sammy Cup: Next top-10 came at the Nagashima Shigeo Invitational Sega Sammy Cup, where he carded 68-71-66-69 for a T9.
• Japan Golf Tour Championship: Won the Japan Golf Tour Championship Shishido Hills, his first title on the Japan Golf Tour. Entered the third round just one back of Eun Shin Park after a stellar 64. Took a one-stroke lead over three players, including Kiradech Aphibarnrat, into the final round after a third-round 70. A Sunday 70 resulted in a one-stroke victory over Aphibarnrat and S.K. Ho. Was his first Japan Golf Tour major win.
• Diamond Cup Golf: Continued his good play at the Diamond Cup Golf with a T6 and finished four back of PGA TOUR winner Hideki Matsuyama.
• PGA Championship Nissin Cupnoodles Cup: Was two strokes off the lead after 36 holes of the PGA Championship Nissin Cupnoodles Cup. Carded 74-72 over the weekend and dropped to solo-fifth.
• Token Homemate Cup: Started the season at the Token Homemate Cup with a T13.

2012 Season

Posted three top-25 finishes.

• Mynavi ABC Championship: Carded 69-71-69-71 for a T19 at the Mynavi ABC Championship.
• Toshin Golf Tournament in Ryosen: Picked up a T10 at the Toshin Golf Tournament in Ryosen, with rounds of 66-68-68.
• Totoumi Hamamatsu Open: Had four rounds of par or better at the Totoumi Hamamatsu Open for a T23.

2011 Season

Recorded five top-25 finishes in his first full Japan Golf Tour season.

• Casio World Open: Ended the year at the Casio World Open with rounds of 68-71-70-73 for a T11.
• Japan Open Golf Championship: Earned his first top-10 performance at the Japan Open Golf Championship won by PGA TOUR winner Sangmoon Bae. After a 75 in the first round, carded 70 in back-to-back rounds. Closed with a 73 for a T10.
• Fujisankei Classic: Recorded 76-69 in the Fujisankei Classic, a 36-hole tournament, for a T23.
• Kansai Open Golf Championship: Opened the Kansai Open Golf Championship with a 67. Carded a 76 in the second round but bounced back with 70-71 on the weekend for a T25.
• Japan Golf Tour Championship Citibank Cup: Posted rounds of 71-72-71-73 at the Japan Golf Tour Championship Citibank Cup for a T19.