Ryo Hisatsune Player Profile And What's In The Bag

By: Derek Clements | Mon 25 Sep 2023

Ryo Hisatsune became just the third Japanese winner in DP World Tour history, claiming the Open de France thanks to a stunning back nine of 30.

Isao Aoki was Japan's first DP World Tour winner at the 1983 Panasonic European Open and it would be 33 years before there was another thanks to Hideki Matsuyama's victory at the WGC-HSBC Champions.

Matsuyama would add another World Golf Championships title the following year at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational before sealing his country's greatest golfing moment by triumphing at the Masters Tournament in 2021.

Hisatsune can now add his name to that roll of honour, as he enjoys a brilliant rookie season after securing his card less than 12 months ago at the Qualifying School.

Player Profile
Last 10 Events
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What's In The Bag

He finished second at the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship and enjoyed five more top tens before claiming this first win.

The 21-year-old entered the final day four shots off the lead and did not look a likely winner as he turned in level par at Le Golf National.

But three birdies in four holes to start the back nine put him in a share of the lead and he added two more at the difficult 15th and 17th to sign for a 66 and finish at 14 under, two shots clear of England's Jordan Smith and Dane Jeff Winther.

Dane Rasmus Højgaard was then at 11 under, one clear of Austria's Lukas Nemecz and two ahead of home favourite Julien Brun, Japan's Kazuki Higa, South Korean Tom Kim and German Yannik Paul.

Player Profile

Ryo Hisatsune was born in Japan on September 9, 2002 and has been tipped for stardom for some time.

A three-time winner on the Abema TV Tour, Hisatsune secured his playing rights on the DP World Tour at qualifying school with a seventh place finish.

He made it clear that he wanted to travel the world as a professional golfer, unlike many of his fellow countrymen. He said: “I know it is tough, but I want to play around the world because it was my dream at a younger age in the national team around the world. As a country we stay more at home, but there is more life in travelling.”

His win in France came in his 25th start on the DP World Tour and took him to 11th in the Race to Dubai. He finished tied second at the Australian PGA Championship, tied third at the Kenya Open and tied eighth at the Made in Himmerland.

He led the Ras Al Khaimah Championship after a first-round 64 with seven birdies in nine holes and nine it total, but faded.