The PGA Tour and Japan have shared quite the connection over the years. The Tour has featured many talented Japanese players, including the likes of Hideki Matsuyama and Isao Aoki. They even have a Japanese Tour, PGA Tour Japan. The only thing really missing has been a sanctioned PGA Tour event played on Japanese soil.
Well, come 2019, you will be able to cross that off the list.
On Tuesday, the PGA Tour announced that for the first time Tour history, they will be going to Japan for a sanctioned event. The event, called the Zozo Championship, will be held Oct. 24-27, 2019 at Narashino Country Club, just outside Tokyo. The event will replace Malaysia on the calendar and feature a $9.75 million purse.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring the first annual, official PGA TOUR event to Japan through our partnership with ZOZO, Inc.,” said Ty Votaw, PGA TOUR Executive Vice President, International. “Japan’s passion for golf is widely recognized and something our stars have experienced first-hand through various events held here and the support of standout PGA TOUR players like champion Hideki Matsuyama. Today’s announcement further strengthens our presence in Asia and certainly comes at an opportune time with golf set to follow its highly successful return to the Olympics in Rio when Tokyo hosts the 2020 Games.”
Signed on for the next six years, the Zozo Championship will be the final event on the Asia Swing that also includes the CJ Cup and the HSBC Champions World Golf Championship. The event will feature a field of 96 players, with 78 coming from the PGA Tour, 10 coming from the PGA Tour Japan, and eight sponsor exemptions.
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