The Challenge: Japan Skins match confirmed as Tiger Woods takes on Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama and Jason Day ahead of next month’s ZOZO Championship. The event, known as ‘The Challenge: Japan Skins’, has been organised by GOLFTV and will be broadcast on the subscription app. It will take place at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan on the 21st October, the Monday of tournament week at the Zozo Championship.
The event will be staged at the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan, on the Monday of the ZOZO Championship at the same venue.
This will mark the first time a PGA Tour event has been staged in Japan.
The purse will be $350,00. All four players will be mic’d up throughout the event and the last few holes of will be broadcasted under the lights as fans experience day to night golf. The play will also feautre TopTracer shot tracking, live on-screen statistics and Virtual Eye 3D hole animations.
Woods stated “I haven’t played a skins format in quite some time, so it will be fun to try something a little different and add a few strategic elements as we compete,” said Tiger, who lost the $9 million match against Phil Mickelson last year in Las Vegas.
“There has already been some friendly banter between us and that will continue until we get to the first tee.”
McIlroy, who spoke about the skins format at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth earlier in the week, said, “I’m a huge fan of the skins format. I love the way it rewards attacking play and think it suits my game quite well.
“Any time I can go directly at pins to try and make birdies and eagles, I think it puts me at an advantage. The other fun thing about skins is how you find yourself rooting for the other guys if you’re not in a position to win the hole.
“You’re hoping they can tie with someone else so you can play for that skin on the next hole. With the skins format, you’re always in it until the end.”
