Yōkoso Japan

pgm ishioka golf club in omitama, japan

Yōkoso

ollowing the end of the European Tour’s 2021 season at Jumeriah Golf Estates on November 21 and an official offseason lasting precisely three days, the freshly rebranded DP World Tour took its bow at the Joburg Open late last month.

Middle East fans need only wait till January 20 for the global circuit to return to the UAE with $8 million Abu Dhabi and Dubai Rolex Series events spearheading an exciting five-event Desert Swing. While the fifth event of said sand-based swing was listed on the DP World Tour website as a February 17-20 “Middle East event (TBA)” as we went to print, we do know two things; that it is one of four new events on the 48-tournament, 27-country schedule, and that another of its brethren now has a home.

Japan will become the 51st country to host a DP World Tour event when the $2 million ISPS Handa Championship is played at PGM Ishioka Golf Club in Omitama from April 21-24. It will be the first “regular tournament” to be co-sanctioned by the former European Tour and the Japan Golf Tour, is part of a three-year deal and deepens the European Tour group’s long-standing relationship with ISPS HANDA, the organisation founded by Japanese philanthropist Dr. Haruhisa Handa.

“The DP World Tour is a global tour and, as a result, we relish opportunities such as this to break new ground; in the process creating exciting golf tournaments for our fans worldwide and wonderful opportunities for our players and stakeholders alike,” said European Tour group Chief Executive, Keith Pelley.

“As we saw earlier this month with our announcement about the Hero Indian Open returning to our 2022 schedule in February, Asia continues to be an important region for the DP World Tour and our first visit to Japan in April further underlines that.”

Japan Golf Tour chairman Isao Aoki talked of the co-sanctioned event being a “long-cherished desire.”

“I am sure that the skill of the players who compete on the DP World Tour will not only attract Japanese golf fans but also stimulate the members of the Japan Golf Tour,” Aoki said. “On the other hand, the members of the Japan Golf Tour will have a great opportunity to perform in front of the world with this tournament as a foothold, and I’m sure our members will take advantage of this opportunity as much as possible. We are making various preparations for this great event in six months - please stay tuned.”

In 2019, Dr Handa was also announced as an Honorary Ambassador for the European Tour’s Golfers with Disability programme, in recognition of his role in raising the profile of disabled golfers worldwide. – kent gray