GEISEI, KOCHI PREF. – South Korea’s Bae Sang Moon clinched his first JGTO Tour money title on Sunday after Tadahiro Takayama’s Casio World Open victory left Bae’s closest contenders no chance to surpass his 2011 earnings.
Bae, now in the United States preparing for the final PGA Tour qualifying tournament, became the second money list champion from South Korea in as many years following Kim Kyung Tae.
One of the players ranked between second and sixth on the money list — Ryo Ishikawa, Toru Taniguchi, Komei Oda, Tomohiro Kondo and Toshinori Muto — had to win the penultimate event of the season to keep alive their slender title hopes.
But Takayama held on to his overnight lead to win for the second time this season and the fifth time in his career.
The 33-year-old finished his round of 68 with an eagle on the 530-yard, par-5 18th, giving him a 15-under 273 total at Kochi Kuroshio Country Club.
“I hit a 3-wood with 80 percent power and got within 3 feet to set up that eagle on 18,” Takayama said. “I knew the ball got close to the pin because of the crowd’s reaction.”