Nakajima Storms to Win in India: Has the DPWT Become a Feeder Tour?

Keita Nakajima just stormed to victory at the Hero Indian Open this weekend with a fine performance all week.

After shooting rounds of 65-65-68-73 to win by four, Nakajima followed on from an illustrious amateur career that saw him top the world rankings for more than 80 weeks. He won four times on the Japanese Tour to gain his DP World Tour card. The third Japanese winner on the DP World Tour in six months, he is continuing the trend of successful and competitive golfers from the East.

Keita Nakajima in his winner’s speech after winning his maiden DP World Tour title:

“I want to try and top 10 on this tour and then go to the PGA Tour in 2025. That’s this years goal.”

It’s so sad that players just see the tour purely as a pathway now.

pic.twitter.com/fsk9Jle6bb

— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) March 31, 2024

He was interviewed after the win, summarising his thoughts for the future:

“I want to try and top 10 on this tour and then go to the PGA Tour in 2025. That’s this years goal.”

Unfortunately for the DP World Tour this sort of messaging does begin to cement its status as a feeder Tour for bigger and better things – the fact that rising stars aim to use the DP World Tour as a springboard to America means it will be a temporary stopping place for rising stars from all over Asia and elsewhere in the rest of the world.

The International team on the Presidents Cup will gain traction as a more threatening force in future years but ultimately the 24 players across Team USA and the International side will likely be playing alongside each other every week on the PGA Tour in future fixtures.

Taking nothing away from Nakajima’s incredible performance this week, it’s clear where his mind is for his future career, and it’s onwards and upwards from the DP World Tour.

Cover Image via Golf Monthly