Japan’s most recent DP World Tour winner, Rikuya Hoshino, is set for a triumphant homecoming as he joins an exciting field for the second edition of the ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP.
Hoshino, who claimed the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters title in February, and his fellow Japanese star Masahiro Kawamura, are confirmed to tee it up at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba on April 25-28, 2024, in the event that is co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organization.
They join a field that includes four-time Major winning South African golf legend Ernie Els and his fellow ISPS HANDA Ambassadors, European Ryder Cup player Rafa Cabrera-Bello and three-time DP World Tour winner Christiaan Bezuidenhout, as a host of DP World Tour and JGTO stars compete amidst majestic views of Mount Fuji.
General admission tickets are available at the early bird price of ¥2,000, plus new offering, The Front Row, which includes front row seating at the first and 10th tees and 18th green as well as a free gift included in the price of ¥5,500. Find out more and buy tickets now at https://isps-championship.com/jp/
Hoshino currently sits in second place behind Rory McIlroy in the Race to Dubai Rankings in partnership with Rolex after his win in Qatar and two runner up finishes at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open and Fortinet Australian PGA Championship this season. His victory in Doha was his eighth professional title following seven wins on the Japan Golf Tour and he is excited to return to Japan during his current run of form.
Hoshino said: “I am very excited to return to Japan as a DP World Tour winner. I’ve had some fantastic experiences travelling the world recently, but playing at home in front of Japanese fans is always special.
“I enjoyed playing in the first edition of this event last season and look forward to teeing it up at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba with players from both the JGTO and DP World Tour.”
Kawamura has been a consistent performer on the DP World Tour since earning a card for the 2019 season through qualifying school. He has three previous runner up finishes and recorded four top tens last season, as he aims to add to his 2013 Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open title on the Japan Golf Tour.
Kawamura said: “I love having the opportunity to play in Japan, and it would be amazing to get my first DP World Tour win in front of a home crowd and amongst JGTO players.
“It was inspiring to see Rikuya win recently and I hope to carry on the recent great form shown by Japanese players.”
Stars of the DP World Tour and JGTO will compete for a US$2.25 million prize fund at the ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP, which is the penultimate regular event in the DP World Tour’s Asian Swing. The five new ‘Global Swings’ included on the 2024 Race to Dubai will be followed by The Back Nine and then the DP World Tour Play-Offs.
Each Swing will have its own individual Swing Rankings (Major Championships do not count towards these). Each champion of the Swing Rankings will earn US$200,000 from an overall US$1,000,000 bonus pool and will also qualify for each of the events on The Back Nine.
Last season’s inaugural ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP was the first regular tournament in history to be co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the JGTO. The tournament builds on a partnership between the DP World Tour, PGA TOUR and JGTO that will see the top three players on the JGTO Order of Merit earn membership onto the DP World Tour each season.
The tournament also deepens the DP World Tour’s long-standing relationship with ISPS HANDA, the organisation founded by Japanese philanthropist Dr Haruhisa Handa in the belief that sport has the power to inspire, transform, and unite people and communities across social, racial and socio-economic barriers.
ISPS HANDA has supported events on the DP World Tour International Schedule for almost a decade, including the ISPS HANDA Wales Open (2012-14 and 2020), ISPS HANDA Perth International (2012-14 and 2016), ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf (2013, 2016, 2018), (ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth (2017-19), ISPA HANDA Vic Open (2019-20), ISPS HANDA UK Championship (2020), ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by Modest! Golf Management (2021) and ISPS HANDA Championship in Spain (2022).
Early bird priced general admission tickets for the 2024 ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP are available now. Find out more about ticket options, including The Front Row, and buy now at https://isps-championship.com/jp/.
