Kazuki Higa has become the first Japanese player in history to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit, a historic milestone for golf in his country that was sealed this week at the Saudi Open presented by PIF, the final ranking event of the 2025 season.
Higa didn’t need to win the tournament and he didn’t. He finished the week with a round of 68 strokes to end up seventh, a result sufficient to mathematically secure the title of consistency. The victory at Dirab Golf & Country Club went to the Swede Bjorn Hellgren, with -23, one less than the Australian Jack Thompson.
The Japanese player, who studied at Tohoku Fukushi University the same as Hideki Matsuyama, finishes the season with 2,082.34 points, leading by 199.84 over Zimbabwean Scott Vincent, who was the only real threat and finished 15th. The Zimbabwean, however, had already secured the International Series ranking weeks ago, which opens the door for his return to LIV Golf.
Beyond the historical fact, Higa’s feat is also explained from the physical context. He is 158 centimetres tall, a very unusual height in current professional golf, especially on a tour where distance from the tee is increasingly decisive. He has been nicknamed “the little giant”.
After winning the Japan Tour Money List in 2022, Kazuki decided to focus his career abroad and play a full season on the Asian Tour. In parallel, he embarked on a process of physical and technical transformation. The result is clear: his average driving distance has increased in just over a year from 284.41 to 297.91 metres.
This leap in distance is not the result of a one-off change, but of very measured work on several fronts. Constant physical care, equipment updates, and small swing adjustments have allowed him to gain more than ten yards in a very short time.
Higa himself explains it clearly: “I have worked very hard on strength training and aerobic work to become a long hitter. With a smaller swing arc, I understood that the only way to compensate was through power and physical preparation.” Strengthening the core, upper body, and lower body has allowed him to generate more energy and transfer it better at the moment of impact.
Another decisive factor has been the specific speed training. His club speed has increased from 49.2 m/s to 51 m/s, an improvement that, although it may seem small, has a direct impact on distance. “By increasing the club speed, the ball naturally travels further,” he explains.
A strategic change in equipment has also been key. This season he decided not to sign a contract with any driver brand, which has given him total freedom to choose the club that best suits his new physique. “By gaining muscle, the clubs I used before no longer fit me well. Becoming a free agent in terms of equipment has relieved stress and helped me improve both in distance and direction,” he acknowledges.
Added to all this is a less tangible but equally important aspect: confidence. Higa assures that he now hits with conviction even under pressure, convinced that the ball will go long and straight. It is no coincidence that he has won every time he has started the final round as the leader. “I fully trust my swing and my shots. That mental strength also explains why I have increased my distance and have already won eight times.”
His 2025 season has gone from strength to strength. He started well with three consecutive top 10 finishes, but made the definitive leap in September, with two consecutive victories at the Shinhan Donghae Open and the Yeangder TPC, as well as a second place in Philippines that allowed him to regain the lead in the Order of Merit, which has been unassailable since then.
With this title, Higa succeeds American John Catlin and joins the group of Order of Merit winners since 2004. In addition to the prestige, the first place guarantees him exemption for The Open via international ranking and opportunities to enter the PGA Championship, depending on his position in the world ranking.
At 30 years old, Kazuki Higa signs the best season of his career and sets a precedent for Japanese golf in the Asian Tour, demonstrating that there is also room for profiles far from the dominant physical prototype in current golf.
