The PGA Tour continues this week in Japan, with Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club hosting the Zozo Championship.
Max Homa loves the Zozo Championship, with the American among several high-profile players looking to lift the trophy.
His compatriot Xander Schauffele has predicted a tough Zozo Championship this year, in what is the fifth event of the FedEx Cup Fall schedule.
Fellow Americans Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala are also in the field for the PGA Tour competition in Chiba.
It does, of course, represent a venture away from the United States, with the previous four events having all been played there.
Rex Hoggard says what he doesn’t like about the Zozo Championship
The Zozo Championship follows the Procore Championship, Sanderson Farms Championship, Black Desert Championship and Shriners Children’s Open in the schedule.
And while the trip abroad will undoubtedly excite many PGA Tour players, it hasn’t entirely convinced Rex Hoggard.
“What I don’t like about it is that event, when it was initially created, along with the CJ Cup were going to be the outliers of the Fall,” he said on Golf Channel. “The jewels of the Fall, where the top players were going to play them.
“Because the fall is such a different animal now, it means something entirely different from what they created. It’s essentially a nine week Q school, for guys trying to improve their status, gain their status, keep their status. It’s a different being. It’s not the same thing it was before.
“Yeah, a win comes with all the things you expected but guys are playing for a lot of different reasons in the past. A limited field event on the other side of the globe doesn’t make a lot of sense but I think that’s probably just one piece of a bigger puzzle which needs sorting out when it comes to the PGA Tour schedule.”
Field of 78 take on Zozo Championship with no cut
The Zozo Championship is, of course, a unique tournament, primarily because it takes place across the Pacific Ocean.
But perhaps more importantly, it is the only competition without a cut, with a total field of 78 taking part in Japan.
Those involved will not be paying too much attention to the format as many enjoy an adventure to another part of the world.
Most importantly, however, they will simply be aiming to lift the trophy at the end of the week, as is always the case for the very top players.
It should be an interesting battle at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club, particularly given the stellar field involved, which includes a handful of top-10 players.
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