The Zozo Championship (Japanese: ゾゾ・チャンピオンシップ) is a professional golf tournament in Inzai, Chiba Prefecture, which is located in the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is co-sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour and the PGA Tour and has been sponsored by ZOZO, a Japanese clothing brand, since the event's inception in 2019.
 | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Inzai, Chiba Prefecture, Japan |
| Established | 2019 |
| Course(s) | Narashino Country Club |
| Par | 70 |
| Length | 7,041 yards (6,438 m) |
| Organized by | ZOZO Inc. |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour Japan Golf Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | US$8,500,000 |
| Month played | October |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 260 Nico Echavarría (2024) |
| To par | −23 Patrick Cantlay (2020) |
| Current champion | |
 Nico Echavarría | |
| Location map | |
  Narashino CC Location in Japan  Narashino CC Location in the Chiba Prefecture | |
History
editThe tournament is the first event sanctioned by the PGA Tour in Japan, in a deal that will last until at least 2025. It would also be co-sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour.[1][2] Tiger Woods won the inaugural event for his 82nd PGA Tour victory. This tied the all-time record set by Sam Snead.[3]
In 2020, the tournament was moved to Sherwood Country Club in Lake Sherwood, California in October, due to ongoing travel restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] Ultimately, the 2020 event became a sole-sanctioned PGA Tour event and had no involvement from the Japan Golf Tour.
The tournament returned to Japan in 2021 as well as being sanctioned by both the PGA Tour and the Japan Golf Tour. However, it was an unofficial money event on the Japan Golf Tour.[5] Hideki Matsuyama eagled the final hole to win in his home country by five shots ahead of Brendan Steele and Cameron Tringale.[6]
Field
editThe 78-player field consists of:[7]
- Top 60 available PGA Tour players from the previous season's FedEx Cup standings.
- Top 7 players in the current season Japan Golf Tour money list through the Bridgestone Open.
- Top 3 players in the Bridgestone Open.
- 8 sponsor exemptions.
Winners
edit| Year | Tour(s)[a] | Winner | Score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up | Purse ($) |
Winner's share ($) |
Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | JPN,[b] PGAT | 260 | −20 | 1 stroke | 8,500,000 | 1,530,000 | Narashino, Japan | ||
| 2023 | JPN,[b] PGAT | 266 | −14 | 6 strokes | 8,500,000 | 1,530,000 | Narashino, Japan | ||
| 2022 | JPN,[b] PGAT | 265 | −15 | 1 stroke | 11,000,000 | 1,980,000 | Narashino, Japan | ||
| 2021 | JPN,[b] PGAT | 265 | −15 | 5 strokes | 9,950,000 | 1,791,000 | Narashino, Japan | ||
| 2020 | JPN,[b] PGAT | 265 | −23 | 1 stroke | 8,000,000 | 1,440,000 | Sherwood, U.S. | ||
| 2019 | JPN, PGAT | 261 | −19 | 3 strokes | 9,750,000 | 1,755,000 | Narashino, Japan |
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ "First official PGA Tour event in Japan to debut in 2019". PGA Tour. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
- ^ "Zozo Championship to become first Japan event on PGA Tour schedule starting in '19". GolfNewsNet.com. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
- ^ "Tiger Woods ties Sam Snead's record of 82 PGA Tour wins". USA Today. Associated Press. 28 October 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
- ^ Leonard, Tod (31 August 2020). "Tour moves Zozo Championship from Japan to site of six Tiger Woods wins, Sherwood CC". Golf Digest. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
- ^ "PGA Tour and Zozo Inc. announce 2021 Zozo Championship will be contested in Japan". PGA Tour. 14 September 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
- ^ Leonard, Tod (24 October 2021). "Hideki Matsuyama's Zozo win is very different from the Masters, but just as impressive". Golf Digest. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
- ^ "Tournament info". Zozo Championship. Retrieved 27 October 2019.