The "Japan Open", which decides the best golfer in Japan, will start in Hyogo Prefecture on the 20th, and 120 people will participate, including Keita Nakajima, a university student who turned professional last month and became the world's number one amateur.
The "Japan Open" of golf is one of the domestic major tournaments and will be held at the Sanko Golf Club Japan Course in Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture for four days from the 20th.
A total of 120 players, both professional and amateur, are scheduled to participate in the tournament, and after turning professional with a track record of No. 1 in the amateur world ranking, he finished 12th, the highest among Japanese players, at the US Tour tournament held in Japan this month. Nakajima, a university student who entered, and Kazuki Higa, who won his first major tournament in Japan this season and is currently ranked No.
From overseas, Adam Scott of Australia, who has won the "Masters Tournament", a major overseas tournament, is scheduled to participate for the first time in three years, and will play in the first round with Nakajima and Higa. .
In addition, Rikuya Hoshino, who participated in last year's Tokyo Olympics, and Yuto Katsuragawa, who ranked second in the prize money ranking, are also worth paying attention to.
NHK will broadcast the tournament on General TV and BS1.
Kazuki Higa "A tournament I definitely want to win"
Kazuki Higa (27), who is currently at the top of the prize money ranking in Japan and is from Okinawa Prefecture, said in an interview with NHK ahead of the start of the Japan Open, "As a professional golfer, I definitely want to win this tournament." rice field.
First of all, Higa said about the factors behind his strong performance this season, "I believe that putting emphasis on core training in the off-season and valuing my image by reviewing my play has produced good results. I think,' he said.
At the "Japan Open", he looked back on how he shone as a "low amateur" with the best results among amateurs in the tournament six years ago when he was a college student, and said, "Since I was an amateur, I have aimed at the "Japan Open" throughout the year. As a professional golfer, I definitely want to win this tournament, so I hope to win while the conditions are good and the flow is good.”