New PGA Tour Event In Japan Confirmed For 2019

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By Elliott Heath published 20 November 18

The Zozo Championship will see the PGA Tour host an event in Japan for the first time next year

New PGA Tour Event In Japan Confirmed For 2019

The PGA Tour has announced that it will host a tournament in Japan for the very first time next year.

The tournament, known as the Zozo Championship, will be co-sanctioned with the Japan Golf Tour and feature 10 players from that circuit as well as 60 from the PGA Tour plus eight special exemptions.

It will take place towards the end of October, replacing the CIMB Classic in Malaysia, and will join the PGA Tour's Asian Swing along with the CJ Cup in South Korea and the WGC-HSBC Champions in China.

The Zozo Championship will see a huge purse of $9.75m, bigger than every single event on the PGA Tour outside of the Players, WGCs and majors.

The purse is $2.75m bigger than the CIMB Classic which it has replaced.

It may be early in the season for the PGA Tour, but it is very hard not to see the world's best turning up.

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"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," said Ty Votaw, PGA Tour Executive Vice President, International.

The 2019 Zozo Championship will take place from 24th-27th October 2019 at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club. It will be on the schedule for at least the next six years.

Five Japanese players have won on the PGA Tour through the years with five-time winner Hideki Matsuyama the most successful.

Shigeki Maruyama is the second-most successful Japanese player on the PGA Tour with three victories.

Satoshi Kodaira is the most recent Japanese winner who was victorious at the RBC Heritage earlier this year.

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Elliott Heath

Elliott Heath is our Senior Staff Writer and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016. He graduated in Sports Journalism in 2016 and currently manages the Golf Monthly news, courses and travel sections as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. Elliott has interviewed some huge names in the golf world including Sergio Garcia, Thomas Bjorn, Bernd Wiesberger and Scotty Cameron as well as a number of professionals on the DP World and PGA Tours. He has also covered three Open Championships on-site including at Carnoustie in 2018 when he was inside the ropes with Tiger Woods. He has played 31 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Old Head and Alwoodley. He currently plays at West Byfleet Golf Club in Surrey, where his handicap index floats between 3-5. His golfing highlight is making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, and he has made one hole-in-one.

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Honma TR20

3 wood: TaylorMade SIM2 Max

Hybrid: TaylorMade SIM Max

Irons: Mizuno MP5

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x