Inside the Field: CIMB Classic

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The global swing of the PGA TOUR continues as we find ourselves in China with a star-studded field set to do battle at Sheshan International Golf Club. It’s the first of four World Golf Championship events for the season, which brings with it an increased purse and of course a solid 550 FedExCup points to the winner. The 72-hole stroke-play tournament features a 78-player field, with no cut. Highlighting the field are defending champion Hideki Matsuyama – who became the first player from Asia to win a World Golf Championship event at last year’s HSBC Champions and followed by winning the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational later in the season – and world No. 1 Dustin Johnson – who won the Mexico Championship and the Dell Technologies Match Play. Between them, the two players hold all four of the current World Golf Championships titles. For the first time in history, the PGA TOUR also welcomes players from China as members in the field. Zecheng Dou and Xinjun Zhang are rookies in 2017-18 after graduating from the Web.com Tour. They are part of a seven-man Chinese tilt. Here are the featured groups. China is 12 hours ahead. All tee times are Eastern Time. Dustin Johnson, Hideki Matsuyama, Jon Rahm The two players who hold all four WGC trophies in Matsuyama and Johnson are joined by the powerful Jon Rahm, who many predict will finish his career with a boatload of titles. Matsuyama finessed his way to a brilliant win last season and will be hoping to do so again, while Johnson starts his season looking to reassert his position as the world’s best now that the likes of Justin Thomas are coming for his mantle. Tee times: Wednesday 10:50 p.m. (ET) off 10 tee; Thursday 9:40 p.m. off 1st tee Matt Kuchar, Justin Rose, Paul Casey Eventually, Paul Casey is going to turn one of these perennial contention weeks into a victory – so why not this week as he has two top-10 finishes in the tournament prior to it taking official WGC status. Rose also had a top-10 finish in his past at the venue and will be looking to kick-start the new season in style. Kuchar will be inspired to play well in the land of ping pong – where he’s already putting his considerable skills to the test against the locals. Tee times: Wednesday 10:40 p.m. (ET) off 10 tee; Thursday 9:30 p.m. off 1st tee   Tyrrell Hatton, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Haotong Li Hatton is the hot hand, having won the last two European Tour events he entered at the Dunhill Links and Italian Open, while Fitzpatrick is also a recent trophy hoister having claimed the European Masters. They are joined by one the locals big hopes in Li who is no stranger to big event pressure having finished third at The Open Championship last season. Tee times: Wednesday 10:30 p.m. (ET) off 10th tee; Thursday 9:20 p.m. off 1st tee   Jason Day, Henrik Stenson, Brooks Koepka Day started his season last week in reasonable form with a T11 finish in Korea but the key was the return of his putting. With some rust shaken off in his tee and iron play he could be a huge factor. Stenson was tied for second last season in China and T11 the year before … his pure striking is suited for success. And of course the reigning U.S. Open champion will be hoping to start his season with a serious bang as he kicks off his 2017-18 campaign. Tee times: Wednesday 9:50 p.m. (ET) off 10th tee; Thursday 10:50 p.m. off 1st tee

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CHIBA, Japan – Tournament officials announced today that two-time major winner Collin Morikawa and former FedExCup champion Justin Rose have committed to play in the 2022 ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, October 13-16, 2022. The duo are the latest big names to sign up for Japan’s lone PGA TOUR tournament following earlier commitments by reigning Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Xander Schauffele, Cameron Champ, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler and Tommy Fleetwood. Travis Steiner, Executive Director of the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, said: “We are delighted that Collin Morikawa and Justin Rose, who are both established stars of the game on the PGA TOUR, will compete in our tournament. Their presence will lend further credence to Japan being a major attraction for our top players and ensure another meaningful week of world-class golf for our Japanese fans to experience at Narashino.” Morikawa, 25, has emerged as one of the most exciting young talents in recent years. Since turning professional in 2019, he has won five times on the PGA TOUR including two major championships, the 2020 PGA Championship and 2021 Open Championship. He also became the first American golfer to win the DP World Tour Race to Dubai title last year. In the recently concluded 2021-22 PGA TOUR Season, the World No. 8 posted eight top-10s, including top-5 finishes at the Masters and U.S. Open, en route to a T21 finish in the FedExCup. Morikawa will be making his fourth straight appearance at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, with a T7 in 2021 being his best finish. Morikawa said: “I’ve played in every ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP since 2019 and it’s a tournament that I mark out on my calendar at the start of every year. Japan is an amazing country and the fans are incredible. The Morikawa family name goes back generations to Kumamoto, Japan, and having the opportunity to compete in a country with deep family roots is something I take great pride in. I look forward to concluding my year with some delicious Japanese food, playing on a great golf course and hopefully securing a win along the way.” Rose, a former World No. 1, is a renowned winner across the globe where he has won official tournaments on all six continents, including The Crowns Tournament on the Japan Golf Tour in 2002. He was also the gold medallist when golf made a welcome return to the Olympic Games programme in Rio in 2016. The 42-year-old Englishman holds 10 titles on the PGA TOUR, including a major triumph at the 2013 U.S. Open. Another career highlight was achieved in 2018 when he claimed the season-long prize, the FedExCup, following two victories and nine other top-10s. Rose’s best finish at the recent 2021-22 Season was a T4 at the RBC Canadian Open where he closed with a 10-under 60. His lone appearance to date at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP was at Sherwood Country Club in 2020 where he finished T17 when the tournament was moved to the U.S. due to the challenges of COVID-19. Rose, ranked 58th in the world, said: “Japan will always have a special place in my heart as one of my earliest professional wins was achieved in Nagoya back in 2002. I look forward to returning in October to compete for another title at the PGA TOUR’s lone tournament in Japan. I’ve heard nothing but great things about the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP in Japan and I look forward to experiencing it myself.” The US$11 million ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP will showcase a 78-man field which will compete over four rounds with no cut. As Japan’s only official PGA TOUR event, the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP was successfully launched at Narashino 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 was victorious in the 2020 edition at Sherwood while Matsuyama produced a popular victory when the tournament returned home to Japan last October. This year’s ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP will include the leading players from the 2021-2022 FedExCup, players designated by the Japan Golf Tour Organization, the winner of the 2022 BMW Japan Golf Tour Championship Mori Building Cup on the Japan Golf Tour and sponsor exemptions. As in previous years, part of the tournament’s proceeds will be donated to charitable causes. As a full FedExCup tournament, the winner of the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP will earn 500 FedExCup points. The event will be co-sanctioned once again with the Japan Golf Tour Organization. For more information on the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, please visit ZOZOCHAMPIONSHIP.com.

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