Golf: Izawa holds on to win Japan PGA Championship

Overnight leader Toshimitsu Izawa endured a nail-biting finish to claim a wire-to-wire victory at the Japan PGA Championship on Sunday.

Izawa almost saw his lead slip from his grasp when he missed a par-saving putt on the 18th but closest challenger Satoru Hirota was unable to take advantage and Izawa tapped in for a 1-over 73 and a one-shot victory at Kise Country Club in Okinawa Prefecture.

''It was tight enough to make your stomach hurt on that final hole,'' said Izawa after capturing his 16th career title with a 5-under 283 total.

''My aim was to get a win under my belt early in the season. I have accomplished that and the next aim is to get my second win of the season as soon as I can,'' he added.

The 39-year-old's triumph, his first since the 2005 Under Armour KBC Augusta, was worth 26 million yen and a five-year exemption on the tour.

Teeing off with a two-stroke advantage, Izawa picked up his first birdie of the day on the 11th but canceled it out with a bogey on the next hole and dropped another shot on the 15th.

After birdying the 17th, Izawa, who only managed one top-10 finish last season, appeared to lose his nerve on the 18th green but Hirota failed to capitalize on a birdie chance and had to settle for second.

''Today's win shows that everything I have been trying to do hasn't been a waste of time. I am relieved and this win will give me confidence,'' said Izawa.

Sushi Ishigaki shot a 67 and finished another two strokes back in third place with South Korea's Kim Kong Duck (70).

Australian Craig Parry and Shoichi Ideguchi closed out in a tie for fifth on 287 while local favorite Yusaku Miyazato and American Greg Meyer shared seventh.