PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida (Kyodo) -- Japan's Takumi Kanaya earned his U.S. PGA Tour card Sunday after holding onto third place in the fourth round of the PGA Tour Q-School Final Stage.

The 26-year-old, this year's top money winner on the Japanese professional men's golf tour, had four birdies and three bogeys for 1-under 69 at TPC Sawgrass in Florida to finish with a four-round total of 5-under 275, putting him in the top five and winning him a place on next year's PGA tour.

"It's been tough. I managed to come this far thanks to support from many people," a tearful Kanaya said. "I took care of each shot this year. Getting rewarded for that is really pleasing."

Lanto Griffin had a final-round 63 to win at 9-under, followed by fellow American Hayden Buckley three shots back. Alejandro Tosti of Argentina as well as Americans Will Chandler and Matthew Riedel finished tied for fourth, a shot behind Kanaya, to also earn their cards.

Kanaya, a Hiroshima Prefecture native, clinched his first JGTO money title earlier this month at the Japan tour's season-ending Nihon Series JT Cup.

Japan's Kensei Hirata had a strong final-day 64 but finished eighth at 2-under overall, two shots out of the tie for fourth that earned the final available cards.