Kanaya, Nakajima following big footsteps of Hideki Matsuyama

Published January 12, 2022 12:04 AM

By DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer

HONOLULU (AP) — The Sony Open is a reunion of sorts for three No. 1 amateur players in the world. The mentor is Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama. Joining him at Waialae this year are Takumi Kanaya and Keita Nakajima. Matsuyama is their inspiration. Both remember watching Matsuyama win the Masters last April. That next week, Kanaya won the the first Japan Golf Tour event of the year and Nakajima finished second. Kanaya returns to the Masters this year from being in the top 50 in the world. Nakajima is now the No. 1 amateur. He got in as the Asia-Pacific Amateur winner.