The second national open to award entry into the 2026 Masters and Open Championship is in the books.
Naoyuki Kataoka, ranked 500th in the Official World Golf Ranking, is heading down Magnolia Lane come April after winning the 2025 Japan Open on Sunday. The 27-year-old beat compatriot Satoshi Hara on the first playoff hole with a par. The pair finished at 3 under following 72 holes, each shooting 68 in the final round.
This will be Kataoka’s first time to play in the Masters and Open Championship, the latter taking place at Royal Birkdale.
The next event to offer exemptions into the Masters and Open Championship is the Hong Kong Open, which begins Oct. 30.