10 Things You Didn't Know About Keita Nakajima
How well do you know the world number one male amateur golfer?
10 Things You Didn't Know About Keita Nakajima
1. He was born on the 24th June 2000.
2. Nakajima retook the world's number one amateur ranking in April 2021 and has held the distinction for the longest time, overtaking Jon Rahm's previous record of 60 weeks in March 2022.
3. His impact position has been compared to Dustin Johnson.
4. He booked a ticket to the 2022 Masters and The Open Championship at St. Andrews via victory in the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship November 2021 at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. He is the third player from Japan to win the event after Hideki Matsuyama and Takumi Kanaya.
5. The first golfer he saw on TV was Tiger Woods. “My family all play golf and I started playing when I was around 6 years old. Whenever I would watch the PGA TOUR on TV, I’d always see Tiger Woods playing and since then, probably around the time I was in junior high school, I have always wanted to become a professional golfer,” he told PGA Tour.com
“The first player I ever remember seeing on TV was Tiger Woods. I don’t really remember any particular shots, I just remember his huge fist pumps every time he wins, which I always thought was really cool."
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
6. Nakajima already has a victory on the Japan Golf Tour, winning the Panasonic Open in 2021.
7. Then in his PGA Tour debut at the ZOZO Championship in 2021, won by his idol Matsuyama, he finished a very respectable T28.
8. He uses a full bag of TaylorMade golf clubs including Stealth woods and P7MC irons.
9. He is a fan of the Los Angeles Angels MLB baseball team. Fellow Japanese athlete Shohei Ohtani currently plays for the team and was named American League MVP in 2021.
10. Nakajima credits Hideki as a big hero but he also credits Kanaya as a big factor to this success, having been part of the Japan National Team system under Australian coach Gareth Jones together. Speaking to the PGA Tour he said; “I respect him very much. I grew up watching Takumi and he did the same following in the steps of Hideki. Takumi has since graduated from the national team and now I am the senior and I feel it’s my responsibility to leave a positive impression on the players that will come after I leave.”
Sam is Golf Monthly's E-commerce Editor which mean's he oversees everything E-com related on the site.
This takes the form of creating and updating Buying Guides, reviews, and finding bargain prices for deals content.
Working with golf gear and equipment over the last six years, Sam has quickly built outstanding knowledge and expertise on golf products ranging from drivers, to balls, to shoes.
He combines this knowledge with a passion for helping golfers get the best gear for them, and as such Sam manages a team of writers that look to deliver the most accurate and informative reviews and buying advice. This is so the reader can find exactly what they are looking for, at a good price.
Additionally Sam oversees Golf Monthly voucher/coupon content which seeks to find you the best offers and promotions from well-known brands like Callaway, TaylorMade and many more.
Unfortunately, Sam is not a member of any club at the moment but regularly gets out on the golf course to keep up the facade of having a single-figure handicap.
-
Jon Rahm Calls For Links Event To Be Added To LIV Golf Schedule
The Legion XIII captain has told Golf Digest a links event immediately before The Open would offer the ideal preparation for LIV Golf players
By Mike Hall Published
-
How One UK Golfer Defied The Odds To Set A New World Record...
The incredible story of how Steven Dashevsky broke the world record for playing one round of golf on all six continents in the shortest period of time
By Mark Townsend Published
-
What Is Tiger Woods' Open Championship Record?
We take a closer look at the 15-time Major winner's record at golf's oldest Major Championship
By Michael Weston Published
-
Why Tiger Woods’ Masters Week Was Actually A Huge Success
Woods finished last at an event in which he made the cut for just the third time in his near-30-year pro career at The 2024 Masters - but looking at the result here is too short-sighted...
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
25 Things You Didn’t Know About Sergio Garcia
Get to know 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia better with these 25 facts
By Elliott Heath Published
-
Rory McIlroy What’s In The Bag? 2024 Update
We take a look at the clubs currently in the bag of four-time major winner Rory McIlroy for the 2024 season
By Sam Tremlett Published
-
Who Hit It Further - Tiger Woods Or Phil Mickelson?
Both Woods and Mickelson are considered greats of the game - but we look at who hit the ball further using average driving distances and their outright longest drives
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
All 15 Of Tiger Woods' Major Wins
We take a look at Tiger Woods' 15 Major victories, a tally that only one man in history can beat
By Elliott Heath Published
-
How Many Putts Per Round Did Tiger Woods Have In His Prime?
How much of the 15-time Major winner's success was built on his ability with the putter? We've looked into the numbers to find out...
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
Tiger Woods In Line For Significant World-Rankings Jump At Hero World Challenge
Woods could make a significant jump in the OWGR upon his professional comeback after seven months out
By Jonny Leighfield Published