In men’s professional golf, qualifying for the Masters is one of the top goals. Naoyuki Kataoka achieved this goal in October 2025, paving the way to his Masters debut in 2026.
The 28-year-old Hokkaido Prefecture native is among the 91 golfers, including reigning champ Rory McIlroy, who’ll compete at the Masters in Augusta, Georgia. The tournament starts on Thursday, April 9 and runs through Sunday, April 12.
To secure a berth in the Masters for the first time, Kataoka won the Japan Open Golf Championship in a sudden-death playoff last October.
Heading into the final round in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, Kataoka was seven strokes behind overnight leader Taisei Shimizu at 1-under 209.
In the final round, Kataoka had five consecutive even-par holes, starting on the 14th, to finish at 2-under 68. And he clinched a spot in a two-man playoff by sinking a 6-meter putt on the par-4 18th hole.
“There were many holes on the back nine where I had to grind it out, but those tough putts fell,” Kataoka said after the tournament, according to Jiji Press.
And then he capped a memorable rally by beating Satoshi Hara in a one-hole playoff.
Naoyuki Kataoka, the 2025 Japan Open Golf Championship winner, secured his first trip to the Masters with a triumph in a one-hole playoff. (©SANKEI)
In addition to his Masters berth, Kataoka’s win also gave him entry to this year’s British Open in July.
“It’s really a dream come true for me,” Kataoka said after winning the Japan Golf Tour major. “I’m really happy to be able to play in the Masters and the [British] Open.”
Hideki Matsuyama plays a practice round on April 6 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. (©Kylie Cooper/REUTERS)
Preparations for the Masters
Also representing Japan at Augusta National Golf Club is Hideki Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion. Matsuyama is set to make his 15th appearance in the prestigious event.
Kataoka and Matsuyama both attended Sendai’s Tohoku Fukushi University before becoming pro golfers.
Matsuyama, 34, is six years older than Kataoka and possesses a wealth of knowledge about the Masters and its world-renowned golf course.
On Monday, the two Japanese golfers played a practice round together.
As he watched Matsuyama during their practice round, Kataoka gained a deeper appreciation for the older golfer’s skills.
“I was amazed by his technique — the way he sets up his irons and the quality of his shots,” Kataoka was quoted as saying by Golf Digest Online. “It’s incredible.”
Naoyuki Kataoka plays a shot on the second hole during a practice round at Augusta National Golf Club on April 6. (©Kylie Cooper/REUTERS)
For Kataoka, another takeaway from their practice round was the focus that Matsuyama placed on certain spots on the golf course.
“From the spots where Matsuyama anticipated he might miss and checked his chipping, Kataoka followed suit and hit his own shots,” Golf Digest Online reported.
Kataoka Outlines Goals for the Masters
Days ahead of his Masters debut, Kataoka stated his interconnected goals for the tournament.
“First, I’ll do my best to make it through the first two days and advance to the final rounds,” he said, according to Sankei Sports. “And then I’ll focus on how high I can climb in the standings over the remaining two days.”
Putting will be a key element of Kataoka’s Augusta National plan.
“My strategy is to aim for the center of the green as much as possible, regardless of the pin position, and getting up and down in one putt,” Kataoka said, according to Golf Digest Online.
He continued: “[It] feels like it’s going to be really tough. The slopes are steep, and if I start thinking, ‘If I miss here with this pin…’ I’ll honestly run out of time. There are just too many things to watch out for — it’s really difficult.”
Naoyuki Kataoka in a September 2022 file photo. (©SANKEI)
Nobody with a proper understanding of pro golf would say it’s easy to win again and again.
Case in point: Prior to Naoyuki Kataoka’s Japan Open Golf Championship title, he hadn’t won a tournament since the 2021 Japan Players Championship.
In between, he had seven runner-up finishes on the Japan Golf Tour.
Despite the frustration that he experienced in that span, Kataoka demonstrated that he had the talent to succeed.
“I felt a really strong sense of accomplishment as I finally won again after enduring so many near-misses during those barren four years,” Kataoka told reporters after his Masters-qualifying title.
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Author: Ed Odeven
Follow Ed’s [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and he can be found on X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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