BRONX, New York – Yorba Linda, California native and California State University Fullerton alum Jonathan Yoshihiro registered his first Advocates Professional Golf Association (APGA) victory Thursday, a one-stroke triumph in the 54-hole Mastercard Tour Championship at Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point.
Yoshihiro carded a final-round 5-under-par 66 Thursday to emerge victorious, shooting 69-69-66—-204 over the three-day tournament.
His debut victory came one week after finishing tied for third at the Jefferson Health APGA Classic outside Philadelphia, and the 30-year old Californian has registered a number of other top-10 finishes this season.
“It feels amazing to win the Mastercard Tour Championship,” Yoshihiro said. “It’s been a long year. I’ve been in the last group (in the final round) several times and didn’t get it done, so it feels awesome to finally get a win out here.”
In Philadelphia last week, Yoshihiro shot 65 on Day 1 but faded in the second and final round, with bogeys on four of his final seven holes.
“I feel my experience helped me,” he explained. “I’ve been in a lot of late groups the last couple of years, but never got the job done. A lot of experience and trusting myself helped me in finally getting it done.”
Yoshihiro received a $55,000 winner’s prize, from a $155,000 purse (the largest first-place prize and total purse among all 2025 APGA Tour events), and 750 Cisco Cup Series points through the 10th and final Cisco Cup event of the year.
Marcus Byrd, a two-time winner on the APGA Tour this year who owns eight career APGA Tour victories, tied for second at 8-under-par 205 alongside Joe Hooks, who in June won THE JOHN SHIPPEN National Invitational and made his PGA TOUR debut at the Rocket Classic. Joey Stills was fourth at seven under par.
The Mastercard Tour Championship played to a 36-hole cut after Wednesday’s second round, with the top 30 on the leaderboard continuing on to play Thursday’s final round.
Yoshihiro opened with back-to-back rounds of two-under-par 69 in the first two rounds, then got hot Thursday when the pressure was on. Playing in the shadows of the Manhattan skyline, he navigated the front nine with two birdies and no bogeys. After his first bogey of the round on the 14th hole, he bounced back with an eagle on the par-5 15th, followed by birdies on the 16th and 18th to close out Byrd and Hooks.
Yoshiro had not played on the APGA Tour until this season, and said the experience has been incredible.
“It’s been awesome,” he said. “The courses are so good – a lot better than the regular mini tour. It’s awesome that we get to go to great venues and play tougher golf courses. The competition is really good out here.
“(Getting my first win on the APGA Tour) is big. It’s nice to get that chip off your shoulder and prove to yourself that you can do it, especially heading into Q-School season. There’s a lot of pressure out here to get the job done.
Byrd’s remarkable season resulted in him finishing the year atop the Cisco Cup standings. In addition to winning the APGA at Port St. Lucie and the APGA at TPC Deere Run, he was second in the Cisco APGA Black History Month Classic and the APGA Juneteenth Classic, as well as sixth in the APGA at TPC Scottsdale.
“(Winning the Cisco Cup) is huge – it gives me an opportunity to keep chasing my dreams,” Byrd said. “Everyone knows that it’s hard out here with expenses, grinding and traveling week to week. The fact we are able to have Mastercard help us out going into this next year and Cisco being a sponsor, we wouldn’t be able to do it without those guys. I’m just super fortunate that my good play was rewarded this year and I have a place to play next year. I’m excited to keep going and fortunate to have the APGA, Mastercard, and Cisco in my corner. Looking forward to a great 2026.”
The APGA Tour travels west for its 12th tournament of the year at the 36-hole APGA at TPC Las Vegas, September 22-24 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 2025 season runs through November with 16 tournaments from coast to coast.
About the APGA Tour
The APGA Tour was established in 2010 as a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring an inclusive future through the game of golf. The APGA Tour Board of Directors works diligently to accomplish this by hosting and operating professional golf tournaments, player development programs, mentoring programs, and by introducing the game to inner city young people. In addition to conducting 16 tournaments awarding more than $1 million in prize and bonus money, the APGA has organized a Player Development Program to aid golfers as they work to chase their professional golf goals.
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