Once the Shriners Children’s Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas concludes this Sunday, the PGA Tour will kick off a mini-tour of three tournaments outside the United States, starting next week in Japan. There, the famous ZOZO Championship will take place, an event that began with a bang in 2019 with a historic victory by Tiger Woods. The following year, it had to be held in North America due to the severe travel restrictions caused by COVID-19, and since 2021 it has been hosted at the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, returning to Asia.
After the Tiger, important names like Patrick Cantlay, Hideki Matsuyama, Keegan Bradley, and Collin Morikawa achieved victory in the tournament (Jon Rahm was tied for second in 2020). Now, this reduced field event, with 78 players on the course, is preparing for a new edition to which several tour stars have signed up, despite being in the midst of the autumn schedule of the new circuit agenda, in the off-season for the top-ranked players of the FedEx Cup, who rest these months after a very intense year with PGA Tour, Olympic Games, and Presidents Cup.
The FedExCup Fall continues with the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP in Japan, where Collin Morikawa looks to defend his title.
ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP field: pic.twitter.com/I2Rc31Xv4W
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) October 18, 2024
Among the players appearing on the participant list released by the organisers early this morning are Rickie Fowler, Max Homa, Sungjae Im, Hideki Matsuyama, the aforementioned Collin Morikawa, who is defending his title, Xander Schauffele, Sahith Theegala, Justin Thomas, and Will Zalatoris, among others. An impressive collection of figures joins a long list of golfers who have much at stake in these months, from retaining their card to seeking a place in the first designated events of the circuit in 2025.
The PGA Tour will then continue with the World Wide Technology Championship in Los Cabos, Mexico, and the Butterfield Bermuda Championship in Bermuda, before returning to the United States for the RSM Classic, where the final positions of the FedEx Fall will be determined. The competitive year will close with the famous Tiger Woods tournament in the Bahamas and the festive Grand Thorton Invitational in Florida, with the Korn Ferry Tour school in between.
