PGA Tour adds Japan to Asian swing

TOKYO: America’s PGA Tour on Tuesday announced its first annual tournament in Japan with a purse of nearly $10 million, as it rejigs its Asian swing.

The new Zozo Championship effectively replaces the CIMB classic in Malaysia which is dropping off the tour after six years.

It will offer a purse of $9.75 million — a record for Japan — starting next October under a six-year deal, the PGA said.

The new event, along with the CJ Cup in Korea and the WGC-HSBC Champions in China, will form a three-tournament swing in Asia for players from the world’s leading golf tour.

“Japan’s passion for golf is widely recognized and something our stars have experienced first-hand through various events held here and the support of standout PGA Tour players like champion Hideki Matsuyama,” said Ty Votaw, the Tour’s executive vice president.

Golf is one of the Asian country’s most popular sports. A Japanese golfer has competed in every PGA season since 1993, with two on the Tour’s roster for the 2018-19 season.

“Today’s announcement further strengthens our presence in Asia and certainly comes at an opportune time with golf set to follow its highly successful return to the Olympics in Rio when Tokyo hosts the 2020 games,” Votaw added.