NAPA, Calif. – Koichiro Furuse earned an exemption into the Korn Ferry Tour’s The Ascendant presented by Blue in July by winning the second annual Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational Tuesday at Silverado Resort. He led by two when the final round began and finished the tournament with a 10-under 206 (67-68-71). Tohoku Fukushi held off charging Santa Clara and defending champion BYU for the team victory with a 23-under 841 (279-283-279).

“I am so proud of how I handled today,” Furuse said. “I had pressure since yesterday, and considering the circumstances, I was checking the leaderboard. I was surprised at how well I played all week, and I am so happy about it.”

The Ascendant presented by Blue will be held July 10-13 at TPC Colorado.

“I knew a little bit about the exemption but never thought that I was going to win,” continued Furuse. “Even after winning this event, it still doesn’t feel real. I never imagined myself playing in it and competing on the Korn Ferry Tour. Winning this tournament is very important for me and the people supporting me. It is a giant step in my golf career.”

While Santa Clara (278, 10-under) and BYU (272, 16-under) made an afternoon push with the lowest rounds of the tournament, Tohoku Fukushi got boosts Tuesday from top-10 finishers Furuse, Kaito Sato and Yura Shimura. Sato (68-73-67, 8,-under T2) had a bogey-free front nine with four birdies and an eagle on the 570-yard, par-5 18th and Shimura (72-71-70, 3-under, T8) recorded seven birdies.

“The team comes first, and I am so glad I was a part of the team and contributed to the team’s win,” Furuse said.

Nihon University's Masato Sumiuchi, Xing Luo of North Alabama, BYU’s Cole Ponich and J.P. Odland of Santa Clara joined Furuse and Sato as top-five finishers, while Nihon and San Francisco joined Tohoku Fukushi, Santa Clara and BYU as top-five team finishers.

Tohoku Fukushi alumni include 2021 Masters Champion Hideki Matsuyama, who won two Asian Amateur Championships and became the top-ranked amateur via the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) while at the university.

The Bridgestone APGA Collegiate Ranking race is heating up as Marcus Smith Jr. (No. 3) of Howard University and Kci Lindskog (No. 4) of Texas Southern University vied for positioning off their performance in Napa. A top-three finish in the ranking would earn them a spot in THE JOHN SHIPPEN Men’s National Invitational held at Detroit Golf Club in July, with a top-five finish earning them additional benefits and support including APGA membership and as they transition into their professional careers. The final ranking will be released on May 5.

As part of the PGA TOUR’s Pathway to Progression, a comprehensive effort to develop golfers from historically underrepresented communities, freshman Marlon Jones (79-72, 75, 10-over, T45) and sophomore Awesome Burnette (74-71-81, 10-over, T45) of San Jose State University received invites into the Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational.

“Creating competitive opportunities early in the collegiate golf journey is crucial to the development of golfers,” said Justin Baker, senior manager of player development at the PGA TOUR. “We are really proud of Marlon and Awesome’s performances and this experience will contribute greatly to their development as collegiate golfers.”