Who Is Satoshi Kodaira?

The 28-year-old won the RBC Heritage and is now inside the world's top 30 - but who is Satoshi Kodaira?

Who Is Satoshi Kodaira?
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The 28-year-old won the RBC Heritage and is now inside the world's top 30 - but who is Satoshi Kodaira?

Who Is Satoshi Kodaira?

Satoshi Kodaira became the fifth golfer to win on the PGA Tour with victory at the RBC Heritage.

The 28-year-old holed a 25 footer on the 3rd playoff hole to beat Si Woo Kim at Harbour Town.

After victory, he said his dream was to become a PGA Tour player.

Related: Satoshi Kodaira wins maiden PGA Tour title at RBC Heritage

“This is a stage I’ve been dreaming about.

“And having this opportunity to play [the PGA Tour] full-time is a dream come true.”

He wasn't even a PGA Tour member before his win and will now play full-time in the USA.

Playing in the 145th Open Championship at Royal Troon. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Kodaira was born in Tokyo and turned professional in 2010. He first reached the world's top 100 in December 2016 and is now inside the world's top 30.

His dream fourball would be with Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Sam Snead.

He won his first professional title in 2012 at the PGA JGTO challenge Cup II in Boso.

His second victory was a big one, coming at the Japan Golf Tour Championship in 2013 where he beat Kiradech Aphibarnrat by a stroke. That tournament is one of the Japan Golf Tour's 'majors'.

Related: Satoshi Kodaira What's in the bag?

He won another Japan Golf Tour major in 2015 at the Japan Open.

In total, he has won six times on the Japan Golf Tour, with his last title over there coming in November 2017.

He has won over £3 million on the Japan Golf Tour in his career - he picked up around £840,000 for his victory at the RBC Heritage.

Holing the putt to win his maiden PGA Tour title. (Photo by Tyler Lecka/Getty Images)

Kodaira has been playing most of his golf in Japan and Asia for the last few years although he has played in five majors and five WGC's since 2013.

He played in The Masters in the week prior to his RBC Heritage win and finished T28th. He played with Fred Couples in the third round and Vijay Singh in rounds one and two.

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He has made the cut in three of his five major appearances, with his 2018 Masters finish being his best result.

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV