Collin Morikawa will defend his title at the 2024 ZOZO Championship at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, October 24-27, 2024. Joining Morikawa is this season’s two-time major champion and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games gold medallist, Xander Schauffele.
“We are delighted to announce that Collin Morikawa will defend his title at the ZOZO Championship this October,” said Travis Steiner, Executive Director of the ZOZO Championship. “He emerged as a very popular winner amongst our fans last year following a rousing victory and I’m sure Collin will be eager to repeat his success and become our first two-time champion. It is also very special to welcome back Xander Schauffele to Japan following an outstanding year where he won two major titles at the PGA Championship and The Open Championship.”
Morikawa, whose six PGA Tour career victories include major wins at the 2020 PGA Championship and 2021 Open Championship, secured an emphatic six-stroke triumph, the largest margin of victory in the tournament history, following a closing 63 last year. This season, the 27-year-old, who is presently ranked No. 7 on the Official World Golf Ranking, has registered seven top-10s, including a runner-up finish at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday and a tied third at the Masters Tournament.
“It was incredible to win the ZOZO Championship. The achievement meant the world as the tournament is one of the few events that are highlighted on my schedule at the start of every new season. Being half Japanese, I have a strong connection with the people of Japan, and they have shown a lot of support whenever I compete in the country. I look forward to coming back and seeing our fans in large numbers once again to support me and the players,” said Morikawa, who will be making his sixth appearance in the ZOZO Championship.
Xander Schauffele of the United States. (Photo by James Gilbert/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
Schauffele has enjoyed a season to remember following his major breakthroughs. The 30-year-old claimed his maiden major title by a single stroke at the PGA Championship in May and followed up with a second triumph at The Open Championship last month where he won by two to increase his PGA Tour career wins to nine titles. With 11 additional top-10s this year, he is presently ranked second in the FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List, and also in the Official World Golf Ranking.
With his maternal grandparents and other relatives living in Japan, Schauffele is keen to deliver a victory in front of his family and cap a magical 2024 in what will be his sixth ZOZO Championship appearance where he holds two top-10s (T10/2019, T9/2022).
“After enjoying those two major wins, it will be a big goal of mine to contend for this year’s ZOZO Championship title. Winning the tournament will certainly put the bow on my 2024 season and it is no secret that I enjoy being in Japan due to my family ties and competing in front of our Japanese fans, who are amongst the most knowledgeable and respectful fans in the world. I look forward to seeing everyone in Narashino and hopefully ending the week with the trophy in my hands,” said Schauffele.
Once again, the ZOZO Championship will feature a 78-man field who will compete over four rounds with no cut. As one of eight official FedExCup Fall events, it will include players from the top-60 of the FedExCup points list and designated players from the Japan Golf Tour Organization, which is a co-sanction partner. The tournament will offer US$8.5 million in prize fund.
As Japan’s only official PGA Tour tournament, the ZOZO Championship was successfully launched at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in 2019 when Tiger Woods claimed the inaugural title with a three-shot victory over Hideki Matsuyama en route to equalling Sam Snead’s record of 82 PGA Tour victories. Patrick Cantlay won the 2020 edition when it was played at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California while Matsuyama produced a memorable home victory in 2021 – the same year he won the Masters Tournament to become Japan’s first male major winner – when the event returned to Japan. Keegan Bradley was triumphant in 2022, followed by Morikawa’s record-setting victory last year.
Tickets for ZOZO Championship became available to purchase beginning August 20 via Lawson Ticket with a variety of ticket packages ranging from 1-Day tickets, front row seats, 2 or 4-ticket packs, a new Premium Item Set and more. Tickets will be sold in four phases beginning with phase 1 from August 20 – September 2, phase 2 September 3 –23, phase 3 September 24 – October 15, and phase 4 October 16—27. Customers who purchase any tickets between August 20– September 2 will also be eligible to enter a raffle to participate in “Road to ZOZO Championship”, which will offer two fans a chance to play in the official tournament pro-am at Narashino Country Club as a winning prize.
Tickets sales for Japan’s premier PGA Tour tournament opened to the public from noon on August 20th via https://zozochampionship.com/en/
