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$11,000,000 |
| Month played | October |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 261 Tiger Woods (2019) |
| To par | −23 Patrick Cantlay (2020) |
| Current champion | |
 Collin Morikawa | |
| Location map | |
  Narashino CC Location in Japan  Narashino CC Location in the Chiba Prefecture | |
History edit
The tournament is the first event sanctioned by the PGA Tour in Japan, in a deal that will last until at least 2025. It would also be co-sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour.[1][2] Tiger Woods won the inaugural event for his 82nd PGA Tour victory. This tied the all-time record set by Sam Snead.[3]
In 2020, the tournament was moved to Sherwood Country Club in Lake Sherwood, California in October, due to ongoing travel restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] Ultimately, the 2020 event became a sole-sanctioned PGA Tour event and had no involvement from the Japan Golf Tour.
The tournament returned to Japan in 2021 as well as being sanctioned by both the PGA Tour and the Japan Golf Tour. However, it was an unofficial money event on the Japan Golf Tour.[5] Hideki Matsuyama eagled the final hole to win in his home country by five shots ahead of Brendan Steele and Cameron Tringale.[6]
Field edit
The 78-player field consists of:[7]
- Top 60 available PGA Tour players from the previous season's FedEx Cup standings.
- Top 7 players in the current season Japan Golf Tour money list through the Bridgestone Open.
- Top 3 players in the Bridgestone Open.
- 8 sponsor exemptions.
Winners edit
| Year | Tour(s)[a] | Winner | Score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up | Purse ($) |
Winner's share ($) |
Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | JPN,[b] PGAT | Collin Morikawa
|
266 | −14 | 6 strokes | Eric Cole Beau Hossler
|
8,500,000 | 1,530,000 | Narashino, Japan |
| 2022 | JPN,[b] PGAT | Keegan Bradley
|
265 | −15 | 1 stroke | Rickie Fowler Andrew Putnam
|
11,000,000 | 1,980,000 | Narashino, Japan |
| 2021 | JPN,[b] PGAT |  Hideki Matsuyama
|
265 | −15 | 5 strokes | Brendan Steele Cameron Tringale
|
9,950,000 | 1,791,000 | Narashino, Japan |
| 2020 | Patrick Cantlay
|
265 | −23 | 1 stroke |  Jon Rahm Justin Thomas
|
8,000,000 | 1,440,000 | Sherwood, U.S. | |
| 2019 | JPN, PGAT | Tiger Woods
|
261 | −19 | 3 strokes | Hideki Matsuyama
|
9,750,000 | 1,755,000 | Narashino, Japan |
Notes edit
- ^ JPN − Japan Golf Tour; PGAT − PGA Tour.
- ^ a b c Between 2021 and 2023 the event was sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour, however it was an unofficial money event; therefore the win is considered unofficial on that tour.
- ^ Due to relocating to the United States because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Zozo Championship was a sole-sanctioned PGA Tour event in 2020.
References 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.
