Tokyo—Former world number one Rory McIlroy will join 15-time major-winner Tiger Woods at Japan’s first PGA Tour tournament later this year, organisers announced Wednesday.
Woods had already confirmed his participation, but McIlroy’s addition considerably brightens the star power at the $9.75 million Zozo Championship in October.
“It is wonderful we have the opportunity to compete in Japan this year and I’m truly excited to be heading” to the tournament, the 30-year-old Northern Ireland star said in a press release.
McIlroy’s commitment is “a fantastic addition,” organisers of the Zozo Championship said.
“I know golf fans in Japan are very supportive and knowledgeable of the game and it’ll be really cool and fun for the PGA Tour players to perform in front of them for the first time,” McIlroy said.
“In my career, I’ve won all around the world and it’ll be an achievement if I can register my first title in Japan.”
McIlroy, the world number three, is currently ranked second on the FedExCup points list. The four-time major-winner was world number one for 95 weeks between 2012 to 2015.
A total of 78 players, including the leading 60 players from the FedExCup points list, will compete at the Zozo Championship in Chiba, near Tokyo, from October 24-27.
Meanwhile, fewer players will make the cut at US PGA Tour events in the 2019-2020 season, US media reported Tuesday.
Golf Digest reported the tour’s policy board approved changes that will reduce the number of players making the 36-hole cut from the top 70 players and those tied to the top 65.
The new rules will also eliminate the secondary 54-hole cut, which were used to reduce the field for the final round in tournaments in which 78 or more players made the 36-hole cut.
England’s Paul Casey, a member of the tour’s Player Advisory Council, told Golf Digest he’s in favor of the system, even though it will see prize money going to fewer players.
“As long as we’re not taking away opportunities to get into events —and I don’t think this is taking away earnings or opportunities for players—this is the right thing to do,” Casey said.
Having fewer players on the weekend will reduce instances of having to play in threesomes rather than pairs and use split tees in order to get the final rounds completed on schedule.
“We have to protect the product,” Casey said. “We have too many three-balls and two-tee starts on the weekend.”
