Local hero Hideki Matsuyama and former World No. 1 Jason Day of Australia are the latest big-name players to commit to the inaugural Zozo Championship at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club this October 24-27.
The duo, who hold a combined 17 PGA Tour wins, will join 81-time PGA Tour winner Tiger Woods and 2016 FedExCup winner Rory McIroy in Japan’s first official PGA Tour tournament, which forms part of the early season events for the new 2019-20 PGA Tour Season.
“The field for the inaugural Zozo Championship keeps getting stronger with Jason Day and Hideki Matsuyama now officially committing to our tournament. Their star presence, coupled with the commitments made earlier by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, will help ensure a successful launch for Japan’s first ever PGA TOUR tournament. It’ll be a memorable experience for sports fans in Japan and around Asia,” said the event’s executive director Travis Steiner.
With five career PGA Tour victories to his name including two World Golf Championships wins, the 27-year-old Matsuyama has already established himself as Japan’s most successful golfer. The two-time Asian Amateur Championship winner has also triumphed eight times on the Japan Golf Tour, including the Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters in 2011 while he was still an amateur.
“I’m looking forward to competing in the Zozo Championship as it will be the first official PGA Tour event in Japan, I can see the tournament playing an important role towards the growth and development of golf in our country. I believe the presence of many world-class golfers from the PGA Tour will provide an inspiration to young Japanese fans to learn the game and then excel in this great sport. I’ll be aiming to play my best golf in front of my fans and hopefully contend for the title,” said Matsuyama.
Day, 31, is one of Australia’s finest golf ambassadors, thanks largely to his 12 PGA Tour victories which include one major title at the 2015 PGA Championship. The talented Aussie enjoyed a banner season in 2015 following five victories including two FedExCup Playoffs events and rose to World No. 1 that season.
The Zozo Championship will feature an elite 78-man field, including the leading 60 players from the FedExCup points list, 10 from the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO) and eight special exemptions. The event is co-sanctioned with the JGTO.
Tickets fare now open for sale on www.zozochampionship.com
