American Chan Kim secured a record-setting wire-to-wire victory at the Japan Golf Tour Organization's Casio World Open yesterday with a stunning final round of 10-under-par 62.

The 32-year-old's total of 32-under-par 256 at Kochi Kuroshio Country Club set a new mark as the Japanese circuit's lowest-ever 72-hole score, securing Kim his eighth Japan Golf Tour title in emphatic fashion by six shots from Japan's Aguri Iwasaki.

“For the final round, I wanted to play well and was hoping to get to 30-under. I knew if I could do that, I would win,” said Kim, who smashed the previous best 72-hole score of 28-under set by South Korea’s In-hoi Hur at the Toshin Golf Tournament.

“I’m so happy it went so well and I managed to break the JGTO scoring record for the 72-hole. I hope it will remain for a very long time,” added the tour's  2021 money list winner.

Starting the final round with just a one-shot lead over Iwasaki, Kim turned it into a romp with four birdies on the front nine. After the turn, he continued his red-hot form by firing six more birdies including a hat-trick gain in the closing three holes to make it his most memorable victory yet.

Iwasaki carded 67 to take the runner-up spot on 26-under 262, two better than 2016 winner Yuta Ikeda, who returned a 66 at the Kochi Kuroshio Country Club.

Kim became the only second international of the season following Zimbabwe's Scott Vincent's triumph at the Mizuno Open in May. This week marked Kim's 11th start from which he had four top-10 finishes in his last five outings, including a tied second at the Heiwa PGM Championship.

Meanwhile, Kazuki Higa hemerged as this season's money rankings champion despite finishing 37th. Higa will head into this week's season finale, the Golf Nippon Series JT Cup, with season earnings of ¥180,041,233, giving him an unassailable lead of ¥70,000,000 over second-placed Rikuya Hoshino.

"I can't believe that I won. I feel a little relieved and it's a weight lifted off my shoulders," said Higa.

Results (Top 10 and ties) (Japan unless stated)
256 - Chan Kim (US) 64-66-64-62;
262 - Aguri Iwasaki 66-66-63-67;
264 - Yuta Ikeda 68-66-64-66;
265 - Sang-hyung Park (Kor) 68-67-66-65;
266 - Satoshi Kodaira 67-67-64-68;
267 - Shugo Imahira 70-66-66-65, Young-han Song (Kor) 67-66-66-68;
269 - Taisei Shimizu 72-66-66-65, Rikuya Hoshino 67-68-67-67, Justin De Los Santos (Phi) 67-69-66-67, Keita Nakajima 67-68-66-68, Mikumu Horikawa 69-67-64-69.