Baycurrent Classic
The Baycurrent Classic is a professional golf tournament co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), featuring top players from both circuits in a no-cut event with a field of 78 competitors.[1][2] It is the only official PGA Tour tournament held in Asia, contested annually over 72 holes for a purse of $8 million.[1][3] Established in 2019 as the inaugural Zozo Championship at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, the event was renamed the Baycurrent Classic ahead of the 2025 edition, with Baycurrent Consulting—a Japanese management consulting firm—serving as the title sponsor and Lexus as the presenting sponsor.[4][5][1] The 2025 tournament marked the event's relocation to Yokohama Country Club in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, a par-71, 7,315-yard course redesigned by architects Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw in 2015.[6][7] The tournament has attracted prominent champions, including Tiger Woods, who won the debut Zozo Championship in 2019 for his record-tying 82nd PGA Tour victory; Hideki Matsuyama in 2021; Collin Morikawa in 2023; and Nico Echavarría, the defending champion entering 2025.[4][1] In the 2025 Baycurrent Classic, Xander Schauffele claimed victory with a final-round 7-under-par 64, finishing at 19-under overall for his 10th career PGA Tour win.[8][9]History
Founding and Early Years
The Zozo Championship was established in 2019 as the first official PGA Tour event held in Japan, marking a significant expansion of the tour's international footprint in Asia. Co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), the tournament was created through a multi-year agreement to bring top professional golfers to the country for an annual competition. It debuted at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba Prefecture, a par-70 layout known for its tight fairways and strategic bunkering that challenges accuracy over distance. The inaugural purse of $9.75 million set a record for golf events in Japan, underscoring the tournament's ambition to elevate the sport's profile domestically and attract global talent.[10][11][12] Sponsored by Zozo, a leading Japanese e-commerce fashion retailer, the event quickly gained prominence with its 2019 edition, where Tiger Woods claimed victory by three strokes over Xander Schauffele, tying Sam Snead's all-time PGA Tour wins record at 82. This win not only highlighted the tournament's drawing power but also boosted interest in golf among Japanese fans, with Woods' participation announced months in advance to maximize excitement. The purse and field composition, featuring 78 players including multiple major champions, positioned the Zozo as a marquee stop early in the PGA Tour season.[10][13][11] The 2020 edition faced disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to its relocation from Japan to Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California, where Patrick Cantlay won by four strokes in a no-spectator event. The tournament returned to Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Japan for 2021 despite ongoing travel restrictions, with Hideki Matsuyama securing a five-shot victory—including an eagle on the final hole—marking a home-country triumph for the Japanese star and his first PGA Tour win on native soil.[14][15][16] By 2022, the event resumed at Accordia Golf Narashino, where Keegan Bradley prevailed, and the purse had increased to $11 million to reflect growing sponsorship support. Subsequent years saw Collin Morikawa's dominant six-shot win in 2023 and Nico Echavarria's 2024 triumph, with purse sizes stabilizing around $8.5–11 million amid adjustments for economic factors.[17] From 2023 onward, the Zozo Championship has been part of the PGA Tour's FedExCup Fall Series, serving as a key postseason event where players compete for priority ranking points to secure full status and exemptions for the following season.[18] This shift enhanced its stakes within the tour's structure, drawing a mix of top finishers from the regular season and international invitees, while maintaining co-sanctioning with the JGTO to foster cross-tour collaboration. The early years thus laid a foundation for the tournament's role in bridging American and Japanese golf ecosystems.[10][19]Rebranding and Sponsorship Changes
In December 2024, the PGA Tour announced the rebranding of its Japan-based tournament from the Zozo Championship to the Baycurrent Classic, effective for the 2025 edition, with Baycurrent Inc., a leading Japanese management consulting firm headquartered in Tokyo, stepping in as the new title sponsor for a multi-year agreement.[20][21] This change followed the conclusion of Zozo's six-year sponsorship tenure from 2019 to 2024, as the Japanese clothing retailer's agreement expired, allowing Baycurrent to assume the role and express its commitment to fostering golf's growth and prominence in Japan.[20][22] The transition maintained the event's co-sanctioning by the PGA Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), ensuring continuity in its status as the Tour's flagship competition in Asia while shifting emphasis toward deeper integration with Japanese business interests and cultural promotion of the sport.[20] As part of the sponsorship adjustments, the total purse was reduced to $8 million for 2025—down from $8.5 million in 2024—with the winner's share set at $1.44 million, reflecting a recalibration aligned with the new sponsor's priorities.[23][24] The official tournament name became the Baycurrent Classic presented by Lexus, incorporating Lexus as a prominent secondary sponsor to enhance the event's prestige and appeal within Japan's automotive and luxury sectors.[1] This rebranding preserved the tournament's unique slot on the PGA Tour calendar as its sole Asian stop, but it underscored a renewed focus on Japanese corporate partnerships, potentially broadening local engagement and visibility for professional golf in the region.[20][1]Venue Transitions
The Baycurrent Classic, Japan's sole PGA Tour event, underwent its first venue transition within the country in 2025, shifting from Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Inzai, Chiba Prefecture, where it had been held from 2019 to 2024 (except for the 2020 edition relocated to the United States due to COVID-19), to Yokohama Country Club in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture.[25][21] This change marked a significant evolution for the tournament, which originated as the ZOZO Championship and was initially hosted at Narashino due to the title sponsor ZOZO Inc.'s headquarters location in Chiba.[26] The transition to Yokohama Country Club was driven by the desire to enhance accessibility and attract a broader audience, as the new venue is situated approximately 20 miles south of central Tokyo, offering superior proximity to the city's transportation hubs compared to the more remote Narashino site.[25][21] PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan highlighted Yokohama's status as one of Japan's premier golf clubs, emphasizing its potential to strengthen connections with local fans through improved urban access and the site's longstanding prestige in Japanese golf history.[21] This move aligns with efforts to maintain the event's prominence as the only PGA Tour stop in Japan while adapting to the new title sponsor, Baycurrent Inc., a Tokyo-based consulting firm.[25] Logistically, the shift benefits international players with easier travel arrangements via Tokyo's major airports, such as Haneda, reducing transit times from Narashino's reliance on farther Narita Airport routes.[27] Fan engagement is expected to increase in Yokohama due to its urban setting, facilitating greater attendance and local involvement without compromising the tournament's elite status.[25] Players must now adapt to Yokohama's distinct challenges, including its par-71 layout redesigned by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw in 2015, which introduces fresh strategic demands compared to Narashino's traditional design.[6]Tournament Format
Structure and Schedule
The Baycurrent Classic is conducted in a standard 72-hole stroke play format over four consecutive days, typically Thursday through Sunday, with each round consisting of 18 holes.[2] The tournament features a field of 78 players, and unlike many PGA Tour events, there is no cut after 36 holes, allowing all entrants to complete the full competition.[28] Held annually in October, the event serves as the third tournament in the FedEx Cup Fall Series, a structure introduced following the 2022 PGA Tour season to determine final playoff qualifications and bonus distribution.[2] The winner receives 500 FedEx Cup points, contributing to year-end standings.[28] In the event of a tie after 72 holes, a sudden-death playoff is employed, beginning on designated holes at the host venue to determine the champion.[29] Television coverage in the United States is provided by Golf Channel, with streaming available via the NBC Sports app, while international broadcast rights are managed through the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO).[30] The purse, distributed according to standard PGA Tour guidelines tied to finishing positions in the no-cut format, totals $8 million.[28]Eligibility and Field Composition
The Baycurrent Classic features a limited field of 78 players, composed primarily through exemptions based on performance in the PGA Tour's FedExCup standings and co-sanctioning with the Japan Golf Tour (JGTO).[31] The primary qualification path grants spots to the top 60 players on the FedExCup points list through the Tour Championship.[31] This structure prioritizes PGA Tour regulars vying for improved positioning toward the top 125 for full 2026 exemption, while past champions qualify via standard PGA Tour exemptions.[32] Additional spots are allocated to up to four sponsor exemptions, often emphasizing Japanese talent to enhance local appeal, alongside invitations for that year's major winners and top JGTO performers through co-sanctioning agreements.[33] These include the top seven available on the JGTO prize money list through the Japan Open, winners of key JGTO events like the ACN Championship and BMW Japan Golf Tour Championship, and select JGTO members, filling the field without open qualifying and promoting alternates from the PGA Tour priority ranking if needed.[31] The composition reflects a deliberate mix of PGA Tour mainstays (typically 60-65 players), international invitees with a focus on Asian and Japanese professionals, and top-50 Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) talents, fostering diversity while maintaining a competitive emphasis on playoff hopefuls.[32] In the 2025 edition, the 78-player field included prominent figures such as major winners Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa, FedExCup contenders like Sahith Theegala, and Japanese stars including Hideki Matsuyama—a frequent participant—and JGTO leaders like Ryo Ishikawa and Keita Nakajima.[31] Since transitioning to the FedExCup Fall era, the field's criteria have tightened to concentrate on postseason bubble players, reducing broader invitations and heightening the event's role in securing tour status.[6]Venues
Yokohama Country Club
Yokohama Country Club, located in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, serves as the venue for the Baycurrent Classic starting in 2025. Established in 1958 and opened in 1960, the club features a 36-hole facility designed originally by Takeo Aiyama, with the West Course undergoing a significant redesign by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw between 2014 and 2016 to restore its natural character while enhancing strategic play.[34][35][36] The tournament utilizes a composite layout comprising 16 holes from the West Course and 2 from the East Course (holes 17 and 18), measuring 7,315 yards with a par of 71. This setup includes 18 holes featuring bentgrass greens, tree-lined fairways that demand precise shot placement, and water hazards on several holes, such as the 12th, a par-3 requiring a carry over water to a elevated green guarded by bunkers. The course emphasizes strategic bunkering throughout, with undulating terrain influenced by coastal proximity adding to the challenge, particularly on its limited par-5s—two in total, including reachable yet risk-reward options on the front and back nine.[2][6][27] Key strategic elements include the West Course's classic parkland style, where valleys, ridges, and preserved vegetation force players to navigate tight landing zones and contoured greens that reward accurate approach shots. The par-5s, such as the 6th and 18th, present scoring opportunities but penalize aggressive play with surrounding hazards, while the abundance of 13 par-4s tests iron play and course management. In its 2025 debut following the transition from Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club, the venue was adapted for PGA Tour standards with temporary modifications, including TV compounds, and Xander Schauffele claimed victory at 19-under par, highlighting the course's balanced demands. The private club's meticulous maintenance by members ensures pristine conditions, with the layout accommodating large spectator crowds amid its scenic, nature-integrated setting.[35][6][36]Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club
The Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club, located in Inzai, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, served as the primary venue for the Baycurrent Classic from 2019 to 2024, hosting all editions except the 2020 event, which was relocated to the United States due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[37] Designed by Japanese architect Kinya Fujita and opened in 1965, the facility comprises multiple courses, with the tournament utilizing a composite layout drawn from the King and Queen courses.[37] This setup, part of the Accordia Golf group's portfolio, was selected partly due to its proximity to the Chiba-based headquarters of ZOZO, the tournament's original title sponsor.[26][38] The course plays as a par 70 at 7,079 yards, featuring a compact, 18-hole configuration with five par 3s, three par 5s, and ten par 4s, all amid tree-lined fairways and small, undulating greens.[39] Its design prioritizes accuracy and course management over power, with narrow fairways, strategic bunkering known as "Alison Bunkers," and frequent hazards including out-of-bounds stakes and water. Notable risk areas include the third hole, where out-of-bounds lurks long and left, and the fourth, which presents out-of-bounds beyond one green alongside water on the left; the sixteenth adds further peril with water guarding the left side and bunkers encircling the green.[37] A unique element is the presence of two greens per hole, allowing year-round play by rotating usage based on seasonal conditions.[37] The venue's emphasis on precision fostered low-scoring tournaments, with representative winning totals including Tiger Woods' 19-under-par 261 in 2019 and Nico Echavarria's 20-under-par 260 in 2024, the latter setting a new event record.[40][41] These performances underscored the course's birdie opportunities for skilled approach players while punishing errant shots, shaping the Baycurrent Classic's early identity. As the site of the tournament's inaugural victory and subsequent editions through 2024, it influenced foundational scoring benchmarks before the event's relocation to Yokohama Country Club in 2025.[42]Results and Records
List of Winners
The Baycurrent Classic has seen seven editions since its inception as the ZOZO Championship in 2019, with all victories determined by stroke play margins and no playoffs required to date.[4]| Year | Winner | Nationality | Score (To Par) | Margin | Runner-up(s) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Tiger Woods | USA | 261 (−19) | 3 strokes | Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) | Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club |
| 2020 | Patrick Cantlay | USA | 265 (−23) | 2 strokes | Jon Rahm (ESP), Justin Thomas (USA) | Sherwood Country Club |
| 2021 | Hideki Matsuyama | JPN | 265 (−15) | 5 strokes | Brendan Steele (USA), Cameron Tringale (USA) | Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club |
| 2022 | Keegan Bradley | USA | 265 (−15) | 1 stroke | Rickie Fowler (USA), Andrew Putnam (USA) | Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club |
| 2023 | Collin Morikawa | USA | 266 (−14) | 6 strokes | Eric Cole (USA), Beau Hossler (USA) | Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club |
| 2024 | Nico Echavarria | COL | 260 (−20) | 1 stroke | Max Greyserman (USA), Justin Thomas (USA) | Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club |
| 2025 | Xander Schauffele | USA | 265 (−19) | 1 stroke | Max Greyserman (USA) | Yokohama Country Club |
Scoring and Performance Records
The Baycurrent Classic has produced several notable scoring achievements since its inception as the Zozo Championship in 2019, reflecting the tournament's mix of challenging Japanese layouts and favorable scoring conditions at venues like Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club. The lowest 72-hole aggregate score is 260, set by Nico Echavarria in 2024 on the par-70 Accordia Golf Narashino course (−20). The lowest score to par is 23-under, achieved by Patrick Cantlay in 2020 with a total of 265 on the par-72 Sherwood Country Club layout. Tiger Woods set the initial mark at 19-under par (261) in 2019 at par-70 Accordia. In 2023, Collin Morikawa won with the highest score to par among full 72-hole events at −14 (266).[47][48] Single-round performances have highlighted the tournament's potential for low scores. The lowest round is 60, shot by Denny McCarthy in the first round of the 2025 Baycurrent Classic at Yokohama Country Club (par 71, 11-under). Previous notable lows include 61 by John Huh in the second round of 2022 at Accordia Golf Narashino (par 70, 9-under) and multiple 62s, such as Andrew Putnam's in the second round of 2022.[49][50]| Record Category | Player | Year | Details | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 72-hole aggregate | Nico Echavarria | 2024 | 260 (par 70) | [48] |
| Lowest 72-hole to par | Patrick Cantlay | 2020 | −23 (265, par 72) | [47] |
| Highest winning to par (full 72 holes) | Collin Morikawa | 2023 | −14 (266, par 70) | [51] |
| Lowest single round | Denny McCarthy | 2025 | 60 (first round, par 71) | [49] |