Yuto Katsuragawa proved patience was a virtue as he claimed his second DP World Tour title at the 2026 Genesis Championship.
The Japanese player began the week at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club in 106th on the Race to Dubai Rankings delivered by DP World, with the top 100 after the event earning their playing rights for next season.
However, Katsuragawa blitzed the field on Moving Day as he matched the course record of 63 to open up a two-shot advantage heading into final round.
He could not get his Sunday going as he carded just one birdie, at the fourth, but minimised blots on his scorecard with 16 pars before a closing bogey for a total of 13 under.
It mattered not as he earned a two-shot victory over French duo Frederic Lacroix and Martin Couvra, who sealed their places in the playoffs with a share of second.
"After the first win, I had such a hard time, struggling with that time, but having the second win, this is definitely the greatest moment of my life," Katsuragawa, who has also sealed his spot in both playoff events, said.
"Yes I was nervous, not just for the victory but also about the seed for the DP World Tour so it was double nervous for me but I think I got through.
"I had a good image from the first victory, I just kept that good feeling about it and I came for the second win.
"I'm very happy because to play on the DP World Tour is something I need in my life and I am very happy to play in Dubai."
The final group parred the opening two holes before Katsuragawa had a free drop following an errant tee-shot at the third and capitalised with a superb approach to salvage par.
That sparked an upturn in form as the Japanese leader then drained a 27-foot birdie putt at the fourth to extend his lead to three at 14 under.
He failed to take advantage of the par-five fifth, but playing partner Casey Jarvis did to trim the deficit to two shots with a birdie on that hole.
Jarvis cut the gap to one with another birdie at the eighth, but the South African got in all sorts of trouble at the ninth to slip back alongside the chasing pack at 11 under, three behind the leader.
Pars were golden for Katsuragawa as he kept the rest of the field at arm's length, although Antoine Rozner's second birdie of the day at the 12th saw him close the gap to two in solo second.
Katsuragawa remained stuck at 14 under, but his lead returned to three shots when Rozner found the water at the 13th and double bogeyed.
The leader was one roll away from breaking his run of pars at the 15th but the chasing pack were faltering in behind, with Couvra proving to be his closest challenger at 11 under.
Lacroix rolled in his fifth birdie of the day at the last to join Couvra at that mark, with his fellow Frenchman's par at the 18th proving enough to book their tickets for Abu Dhabi.
Pressure ramped up on Katsuragawa when he got out of position with his first and third shots at the last, he had three putts for victory and he celebrated his first crown in over two years after tapping in the second for bogey.
Open Champion Ryan Fox was joined at ten under by Rozner, Jarvis, Italian Filippo Celli, Spain's Jorge Campillo and home duo Sanghun Shin and Si Woo Kim for a share of fourth.
