Hendon Golf Club’s Manato Nakatani’s breathtaking start to the season shows no sign of slowing down as he qualified to play in the IMG Academy Junior World Championships in California this summer.
The 12-year-old was playing in the boys 11-12 age group in the British Junior Golf Tour’s qualifying tournament at Park Hill GC in Leicestershire on Sunday.
And after winning the opening Super Six event at The Bedford GC last month, Nakatani was a model of consistency again, particularly over the back nine, as he carded a score of 82 to finish one ahead of Derbyshire’s Thomas Weeks.
With Sky Sports Television show Game Changers filming the younger age groups in the morning competition, Manato’s 10-year-old sister Haruhi showed her talent as she finished third in her girls age group.
Almost 130 golfers from across the country took part in all the divisions as they attempted to book a place in the prestigious 2017 event, whose previous winners have included Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
The top boy and girl in all the six age groups will now represent British Junior Golf Tour in the competition, which will feature 1,200 participants from 56 countries.
The tournament starts on July 10.
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