To no one’s great surprise, Japan wound up sweeping top honors on the final day of the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup Supported by Japan Airlines — though it wound up more stressful than perhaps anyone might have imagined.
That was especially true in the girls’ division, which went to Friday’s final hole before the host nation — which had smashed scoring records every day this week — managed to hold off a frenzied United States comeback to claim its third team title in the past four editions.
“I was actually so nervous on that last hole that my hands were shaking,” admitted Yuna Araki, whose closing par at Chukyo Golf Club’s Ishino course not only clinched the team title but individual honors over Californian Anna Davis.
After beginning the day with a seven-shot advantage, Japan found itself tied with the U.S. squad with just six holes left to play among all groups. Late birdies by Araki and Saki Baba nudged the Japanese trio back in front, clinching a two-shot triumph even with a record total of 34-under 542.
It was somewhat easier for Japan’s boys, though their six-shot lead to start the day shrank to just two over Canada midway through the opening nine. But that’s where Kaito Sato, Reo Maruo and Jukito Ogawa stepped things up, combining for eight birdies in a four-hole stretch to create more cushion as they made the turn.
“Those birdies at (Nos.) 5, 6 and 7 created a good rhythm for me personally,” said Sato, also the boys’ individual winner after a 5-under-par 67. “I’d imagine it was the same for the others.”
Japan’s team score of 34-under 818 — third-best in nearly three decades of tournament history — was enough to outpace Canada by four. It was the host nation’s first victory on the boys’ side since 2015.
Friday’s results also marked the first time that one nation captured both boys’ and girls’ trophies since 2017, when Team USA also went home with the complete set of both team championships and both individual crowns.
“It is a good thing that the boys were able to keep up with the girls this week,” said Sato. “I think overall, Japanese players are getting better and we are able to compete on the world stage.”
The competition utilizes a format similar to U.S. college golf, with each boys’ team counting the three best scores among its four players each day. In the girls’ division, each team counts the two best scores among three.
The week had been billed as a showdown of the powerful…
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