Shugo Imahira

Imahira started playing golf at age 9. He won twice on the 2014 Japan Challenge Tour en route to winning the season money list title. Since 2015, he has played on the main Japan Golf Tour. That year, his best finish was 2nd at the Shigeo Nagashima Invitational Sega Sammy Cup. In 2016, he finished T-2nd in the Gateway to the Open Mizuno Open and also had a 3rd-place finish and three 4th-place results, finishing 10th on the money list. His high finish at the Mizuno Open secured an invitation to play at the British Open at Royal Troon. In his first major, Imahira opened with a 68 but followed it with an 80 to miss the cut.
Imahira was 53rd in the world ranking at the end of 2018 and missed out on qualifying for the 2019 Masters. However, he later received a special invitation from the Masters committee that at its discretion can give an international player a spot not otherwise qualified.
2013 Japan PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments Entered - 7; In Money - 5; Top-10 Finishes - 0; Scoring Average - 71.96 (rank N/A); Money - Yen1,832,992 (rank 141st); Best Finish - T-34th, Van H Cup KBC Augusta.
2014 Japan PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments Entered - 3; In Money - 2; Top-10 Finishes - 0; Scoring Average - 71.33 (rank N/A); Money - Yen4,325,000 ($38,587) (rank 106th); Best Finish - T-17th, Heiwa PGM Championship.
2015 Japan PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments Entered - 25; In Money - 20; Top-10 Finishes - 3; Scoring Average - 71.20 (rank T-22nd); Money - Yen66,776,437 ($595,777) (rank 9th); Best Finish - 2nd, Shigeo Nagashima Invitational.
2016 Japan PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments Entered - 23; In Money - 20; Top-10 Finishes - 8; Scoring Average - 70.66 (rank 8th); Money - Yen61,603,069 ($549,620) (rank 10th); Best finish - T-2nd, Gateway to the Open Mizuno Open. He played at the 2016 British Open, his first major. Carded an opening-round 68, but took 80 in the second round and missed the cut.
2017 Japan PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments Entered - 24; In Money - 22; Top-10 Finishes - 12; Scoring Average - 70.19 (rank 3rd); Money - Yen101,483,329 ($905,430) (rank 6th); Best Finish - Win, Kansai Open.
2018 Japan PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments Entered - 25; In Money - 22; Top-10 Finishes - 11; Scoring Average - 69.92 (rank 1st); Money - Yen139,119,332 ($1,242,217) (rank 1st); Best Finish - Win, Bridgestone Open.
2019 Japan PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments Entered - 25; In Money - 24; Top-10 Finishes - 16; Scoring Average - 69.73 (rank 1st); Money - Yen168,049,312 ($1,600,275) (rank 1st); Best Finish - Win, Bridgestone Open and Dunlop Phoenix.
2020/21 Japan PGA Tour Summary: Tournaments Entered - 27; In Money - 25; Top-10 Finishes - 11; Scoring Average - 70.54 (rank 9th); Money - Yen74,169,048 ($545,995) (rank 12th); Best Finish - Win, Fujisankei Classic

2022 Japan Tour Record
Tournament Place Score To Par 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Money Yen
Token Homemate Cup T-9 277 -7 73 71 69 64 $21,382 Yen2,904,571
Kansai Open Cut 145 +3 70 75
ISPS Handa Champ. In Japan T-24 270 -14 66 71 66 67 $6,625 Yen900,000
The Crowns T-12 273 -7 70 68 67 68 $15,606 Yen2,120,000
Asia Pacific Open Win 272 -8 66 69 69 68 $147,230 Yen20,000,000
Golf Partner Pro-am Win 258 -22 65 67 61 65 $73,615 Yen10,000,000
Mizuno Open Cut 145 +1 73 72
BMW Japan Golf Championship T-11 280 -4 70 70 68 72 $19,753 Yen2,683,333
Aso Iizuka Challenged T-12 271 -17 70 68 69 64 $15,606 Yen2,120,000
Japan Players Championship Cut 141 -3 71 70

Imahira has won yen40,727,904 ($299,818) on the Japan Golf Tour in 2022 and is 4th on the money list. The victory in The Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup Champion got him a spot in the Open Championship at St. Andrews.