Kiyoshi Murota


Kiyoshi Murota is a Japanese professional golfer.
Murota was born in Gunma Prefecture and attended the Nippon Sport Science University. After graduating, he became golf teaching instructor, and was well liked in Japan because of his easy, simple tips to help amateur golfers. While teaching, he would keep trying to become a touring professional. He obtained his Japan Golf Tour card after four tries at qualifying school after 1982.
Murota's first win on the Japan Golf Tour came in 1991 but his best season money wise was 1992, where he finished 6th on the Order of Merit list, earning US$980,000 for the season. He had a total of six career wins on the Japan Tour between 1991 and 2003.
Murota won many tournaments all over Japan, including non-order of merit events and pro-ams all over Japan.
Murota has attempted to travel across the Pacific Ocean and play successfully on the PGA Tour, but that success was not found. In seven career PGA Tour events, his three best finishes came in 1993 at the United Airlines Hawaiian Open, at the 1994 Nissan Los Angeles Open, and at the 1994 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.
Murota represented Japan in the 1992 World Cup.
Since turning 50, Murota has played on the Japan Senior PGA Tour and the United States-based Champions Tour. Most notably, he won the Japan PGA Senior Championship in 2005, 2009, 2012, and 2015. He won the Order of Merit title in consecutive years on the Japan Senior PGA Tour in 2006 and 2007, winning an event in each of those years. In five events in 2006, he won two, and never finished outside of the top four in winning the Order of Merit. His second Order of Merit year was 2007, included one victory and four runner-up finishes. He has played in a few senior major championships also.

Professional wins (32)

Japan Golf Tour wins (6)

Japan Golf Tour playoff record
No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
11992Nikkei Cup Masahiro KuramotoWon with birdie on first extra hole
21992Dunlop Phoenix Tournament David FrostLost to par on second extra hole
32003Woodone Open Hiroshima Toshimitsu IzawaLost to par on first extra hole

Other wins (6)