Asian swing set to bring out the best
The PGA Tour’s annual Asian swing is primed to be its finest yet, featuring an all-star cast of legends, FedExCup champions and major winners ready to impact the game in a region tipped to be the next bastion of golf ’s global growth.
The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges in South Korea, the ZoZo Championship in Japan and the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in China are offering close to $30 million in combined prize money and, more importantly, crucial FedEx Cup points towards the 2019-20 PGA Tour season, which teed off in September.
Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Gary Woodland, Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth and Xander Schauffele are some of the big names who will play in Asia this fall, heightening expectations of a truly spectacular three-week stretch of world-class competition.
Tournament organizers are anticipating strong turnouts from fans in South Korea, Japan and China, which they are convinced will inspire more kids to take up the sport.
World No 1 Koepka will start the ball rolling by defending the CJ Cup from Oct 17-20 in the company of inaugural winner Thomas, Woodland, Mickelson and Spieth, with the latter two making their debuts in South Korea’s lone PGA Tour event.
“I enjoy Asia; it’s always a fun place to go and everyone is very respectful and it’s a great place to play,” said Koepka, the 2018 PGA Tour player of the year.
“I felt it was important to win in Jeju last year ... especially after the year that I had.”
The following week, the tour heads to Japan for its first official PGA Tour tournament, the ZoZo Championship, which will be headlined by Woods.
The 43-year-old icon will be gunning to match Sam Snead’s record of 82 wins on the PGA Tour, but will have to contend with a field that includes McIlroy, the newly minted FedExCup champion and 2019 PGA Tour player of the year.
Woods’ first tournament appearance in Asia since 2012 will certainly spark interest as the American legend, whose mother is Thai, continues to be the center of attention wherever he plays.
Woods also has an impressive track record in Asia, winning six times, including twice in Japan.
“I’m excited to play in the inaugural ZoZo Championship and return to Japan, one of my favorite countries,” said Woods.
“The fans in Japan really enjoy, appreciate and understand golf, and I’m looking forward to competing there,” added Tiger, who secured his fifth Masters title and 81st career PGA Tour win in April.
Schauffele, who is among the new breed of stars, is fired up to successfully defend his WGCHSBC Champions title against the likes of Koepka, 2018 FedEx Cup winner Rose and McIlroy in the region’s lone WGC tournament from Oct 31 to Nov 3.
An unassuming American with Asian heritage, Schauffele wants to return to winning ways quickly.
“For sure, winning is the ultimate satisfaction on the PGA Tour,” said the 25-year-old, a fourtime champion.
“The playoff with Tony (Finau, at the HSBC Champions), that was the biggest memory. Just the excitement of being in a playoff, the fans and the celebration. It was incredible.”
Koepka is also slated to compete in Shanghai, a place where he finished second to Rose in 2017. He thinks Asia’s only WGC event is extra special this year.
“I love the vibe and energy that those great Chinese crowds bring to the golf course each year,” said the American.
“I think the scheduling changes with the majors has made the WGC-HSBC Champions an even more important event for us.
“With no majors scheduled after July, everyone will be targeting to win the final World Golf Championships of the year.”
The Asian swing will also offer the tour’s young guns a further opportunity to establish their international credentials.
Up-and-coming Americans Collin Morikawa and Matt Wolff, who have both won tournaments in their first year on the pro circuit, and South Korea’s Im Sung-jae, voted the 2019 Rookie of the Year, are determined to make their mark against the established stars.
Other young players to watch include China’s world No 53 Li Haotong, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, CT Pan of Chinese Taipei and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, who will gain entry to all three tournaments through Asian Tour exemptions. The writer is senior director of communications for the PGA Tour and is based in Kuala Lumpur. He can be reached at ChuahChooChiang@pgatourintl.com.my