View source for Japan Golf Tour

{{Short description|Professional golf tour}}
{{Infobox Sports league
| title          = Japan Golf Tour
| current_season = 2025 Japan Golf Tour
| last_season    = 
| logo           = 
| pixels         = 150px
| caption        = 
| Formerly       = iiyama Tour<br>PGA of Japan Tour
| sport          = Golf
| founded        = 1973
| fame           =
| motto          =
| inaugural      = 1973
| teams          =
| countries      = Based in Japan{{efn|Schedules have also included events in China, Indonesia, South Korea, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand.}}
| venue          = 
| champion       = 
| most_champs    = {{nowrap|'''Money list titles''':<br>{{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Masashi Ozaki]] (12)<br>'''Tournament wins''':<br>{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Masashi Ozaki]] (94)}}
| qualification  =
| folded         =
| website        = https://www.jgto.org/en
| singles        =
| director       = [[Isao Aoki]]
| TV             = 
| related_comps  = [[Japan Challenge Tour]]
| Founder        = PGA of Japan
}}
The '''Japan Golf Tour''' ({{langx|ja|日本ゴルフツアー機構}}) is a prominent [[professional golf tour]]. It was founded in 1973 and as of 2006, it offered the third-highest annual prize fund out of the regular (that is not for seniors) men's professional tours after the [[PGA Tour]] and the [[European Tour]]. However, since the early 1990s, the growth in prize money has not kept pace with that on the two larger tours. Official events on the Japan Golf Tour count for [[Official World Golf Ranking]] points and success on the tour can also qualify members to play in the [[men's major golf championships|majors]].

Most of the leading players on the tour are Japanese, but players from many other countries also participate. The tour is currently run by the '''Japan Golf Tour Organization''' (JGTO), which was established in 1999 to separate the tour from the PGA of Japan.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44849560/ |date=27 January 1999 |title=Japan golf touring pros on own |newspaper=The Honolulu Advertiser |page=27 |location=Honolulu, Hawaii |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref> The JGTO also organises a developmental tour called the [[Japan Challenge Tour]].

[[Masashi Ozaki]] has been the dominant player on tour, leading the [[List of golfers with most Japan Golf Tour wins|career wins list]] with 94, the career money list with over [[Japanese yen|¥]]2 billion and winning the money title twelve times between 1973 and 1998.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://golf.com/news/before-hideki-matsuyama-there-was-jumbo-ozaki/ |title=Before Hideki Matsuyama, There Was Jumbo Ozaki |magazine=Golf Magazine |first=Sean |last=Zak |date=8 December 2016 |access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref>

Entry to [[The Open Championship]] is given to Order of Merit winner and runner-up, [[Japan Open Golf Championship]] winner, two players not already exempt from the money list up to the [[Japan Golf Tour Championship]] and the top four non-exempt players from the [[Mizuno Open]].

In 2000, the tour signed a title sponsorship agreement with [[Iiyama (company)|Iiyama]], being renamed as the '''iiyama Tour'''. The agreement was reported to be worth {{currency|1.5 billion|JPY}} over three years.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.golfdigest.co.jp/digest/column/back9/2002/20021105b.asp |title=年間スポンサーのイーヤマ撤退を正式発表 |trans-title=Official announcement of the withdrawal of annual sponsor iiyama |language=ja |magazine=Golf Digest Japan |date=11 May 2002 |access-date=5 January 2024}}</ref>

In 2008, the tour ventured outside of Japan for the first time, co-sanctioning the [[Pine Valley Beijing Open]] in China, alongside the [[Asian Tour]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.china.org.cn/sports/news/2008-04/23/content_15001391.htm |title=Aoki tipped to play at Pine Valley Beijing Open |website=china.org.cn |date=23 April 2008 |access-date=19 April 2023}}</ref> In 2013, the tour also co-sanctioned two events at the beginning of the year in Thailand and Indonesia with the [[OneAsia Tour]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/other-sports/news/article/1vqovzoh7pkfg1den0a2i14das |title=Japan Tour expands OneAsia link |work=The Sporting News |date=13 December 2012 |access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/sports/325863/japanese-addition-for-thai-open |title=Japanese addition for Thai Open |newspaper=Bangkok Post |first=Kittipong |last=Thongsombat |date=13 December 2012 |access-date=10 April 2023}}</ref>

In December 2022, a new agreement involving the JGTO, [[PGA Tour]] and [[European Tour]] was announced. As part of the deal, from 2023 onwards the top three on the Japan Golf Tour's season-ending money list earned status to play on the European Tour for the following season.<ref>{{cite web |last=Beall |first=Joel |url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/pga-dp-japan-tours-2022 |title=PGA Tour and DP World Tour announce alliance with Japan Golf Tour |magazine=Golf Digest |date=5 December 2022 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://egolf.jp/tournews/164474/ |title=「3位以内は欧州ツアー出場権獲得」じゃないの!? 昨季のMR2位と3位が欧州ツアーに1試合しか出ていない理由とは？ |trans-title=Isn't it "the top 3 places will qualify for the European Tour"? Why did last season's MR 2nd and 3rd place finishers only play one match on the European Tour? |language=ja |website=egolf.jp |first=Hideki |last=Yamanishi |date=3 December 2024 |access-date=3 December 2024}}</ref>

==Money list winners==
{| class=wikitable
!Season !! Winner !! Prize money ([[Japanese yen|¥]])
|-
| align=center|[[2024 Japan Golf Tour|2024]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Takumi Kanaya]] || align=center|119,551,222
|-
| align=center|[[2023 Japan Golf Tour|2023]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Keita Nakajima]] || align=center|184,986,179
|-
| align=center|[[2022 Japan Golf Tour|2022]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kazuki Higa]] || align=center|181,598,825
|-
| align=center|[[2020–21 Japan Golf Tour|2020–21]]|| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Chan Kim]] || align=center|127,599,803
|-
| align=center|[[2019 Japan Golf Tour|2019]]|| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shugo Imahira]] (2) || align=center|168,049,312
|-
| align=center|[[2018 Japan Golf Tour|2018]]|| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shugo Imahira]] || align=center|139,119,332
|-
| align=center|[[2017 Japan Golf Tour|2017]]|| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yūsaku Miyazato]] || align=center|182,831,982
|-
| align=center|[[2016 Japan Golf Tour|2016]]|| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yuta Ikeda]] || align=center|207,901,567
|-
| align=center|[[2015 Japan Golf Tour|2015]] || {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Kim Kyung-tae]] (2) || align=center|165,981,625
|-
| align=center|[[2014 Japan Golf Tour|2014]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Koumei Oda]] || align=center|137,318,693
|-
| align=center|[[2013 Japan Golf Tour|2013]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hideki Matsuyama]] || align=center|201,076,781
|-
| align=center|[[2012 Japan Golf Tour|2012]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hiroyuki Fujita]] || align=center|175,159,972
|-
| align=center|[[2011 Japan Golf Tour|2011]] || {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Bae Sang-moon]] || align=center|151,078,958
|-
| align=center|[[2010 Japan Golf Tour|2010]] || {{flagicon|KOR|1997}} [[Kim Kyung-tae]] || align=center|181,103,799
|-
| align=center|[[2009 Japan Golf Tour|2009]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Ryo Ishikawa]] || align=center|183,524,051
|-
| align=center|[[2008 Japan Golf Tour|2008]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shingo Katayama]] (5) || align=center|180,094,895
|-
| align=center|[[2007 Japan Golf Tour|2007]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Toru Taniguchi]] (2) || align=center|171,744,498
|-
| align=center|[[2006 Japan Golf Tour|2006]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shingo Katayama]] (4) || align=center|178,402,190
|-
| align=center|[[2005 Japan Golf Tour|2005]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shingo Katayama]] (3) || align=center|134,075,280
|-
| align=center|[[2004 Japan Golf Tour|2004]]|| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shingo Katayama]] (2) || align=center|119,512,374
|-
| align=center|[[2003 Japan Golf Tour|2003]]|| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Toshimitsu Izawa]] (2) || align=center|135,454,300 
|-
| align=center|[[2002 Japan Golf Tour|2002]]|| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Toru Taniguchi]] || align=center|145,440,341
|-
| align=center|[[2001 Japan Golf Tour|2001]]|| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Toshimitsu Izawa]] || align=center|217,934,583
|-
| align=center|[[2000 Japan Golf Tour|2000]]|| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shingo Katayama]] || align=center|177,116,489
|-
| align=center|[[1999 Japan Golf Tour|1999]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Naomichi Ozaki]] (2) || align=center|137,641,796
|-
| align=center|[[1998 PGA of Japan Tour|1998]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Masashi Ozaki]] (12) || align=center|179,627,400
|-
| align=center|[[1997 PGA of Japan Tour|1997]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Masashi Ozaki]] (11) || align=center|170,847,633
|-
| align=center|[[1996 PGA of Japan Tour|1996]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Masashi Ozaki]] (10) || align=center|209,646,746
|-
| align=center|[[1995 PGA of Japan Tour|1995]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Masashi Ozaki]] (9) || align=center|192,319,800
|-
| align=center|[[1994 PGA of Japan Tour|1994]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Masashi Ozaki]] (8) || align=center|215,468,000
|-
| align=center|[[1993 PGA of Japan Tour|1993]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Hajime Meshiai]] || align=center|148,718,200
|-
| align=center|[[1992 PGA of Japan Tour|1992]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Masashi Ozaki]] (7) || align=center|186,816,466
|-
| align=center|[[1991 PGA of Japan Tour|1991]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Naomichi Ozaki]] || align=center|119,507,974
|-
| align=center|[[1990 PGA of Japan Tour|1990]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Masashi Ozaki]] (6) || align=center|129,060,500
|-
| align=center|[[1989 PGA of Japan Tour|1989]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Masashi Ozaki]] (5) || align=center|108,715,733
|-
| align=center|[[1988 PGA of Japan Tour|1988]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Masashi Ozaki]] (4) || align=center|125,162,540
|-
| align=center|[[1987 PGA of Japan Tour|1987]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[David Ishii]] || align=center|86,554,421
|-
| align=center|[[1986 PGA of Japan Tour|1986]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Tsuneyuki Nakajima]] (4) || align=center|90,202,066
|-
| align=center|[[1985 PGA of Japan Tour|1985]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Tsuneyuki Nakajima]] (3) || align=center|101,609,333
|-
| align=center|[[1984 PGA of Japan Tour|1984]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Shinsaku Maeda]] || align=center|57,040,357
|-
| align=center|[[1983 PGA of Japan Tour|1983]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Tsuneyuki Nakajima]] (2) || align=center|85,514,183
|-
| align=center|[[1982 PGA of Japan Tour|1982]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Tsuneyuki Nakajima]] || align=center|68,220,640
|-
| align=center|[[1981 PGA of Japan Tour|1981]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Isao Aoki]] (5) || align=center|57,262,941
|-
| align=center|[[1980 PGA of Japan Tour|1980]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Isao Aoki]] (4) || align=center|60,532,660
|-
| align=center|[[1979 PGA of Japan Tour|1979]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Isao Aoki]] (3) || align=center|45,554,211
|-
| align=center|[[1978 PGA of Japan Tour|1978]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Isao Aoki]] (2) || align=center|62,987,200
|-
| align=center|[[1977 PGA of Japan Tour|1977]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Masashi Ozaki]] (3) || align=center|35,932,608
|-
| align=center|[[1976 PGA of Japan Tour|1976]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Isao Aoki]] || align=center|40,985,801
|-
| align=center|[[1975 PGA of Japan Tour|1975]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Takashi Murakami (golfer)|Takashi Murakami]] || align=center|38,705,551
|-
| align=center|[[1974 PGA of Japan Tour|1974]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Masashi Ozaki]] (2) || align=center|41,846,908
|-
| align=center|[[1973 PGA of Japan Tour|1973]] || {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Masashi Ozaki]] || align=center|43,814,000
|}

===Multiple winners===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!Rank!!Player!!Wins!!Years won
|-
| 1 || align=left|{{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Masashi Ozaki]] || 12 || [[1973 PGA of Japan Tour|1973]], [[1974 PGA of Japan Tour|1974]], [[1977 PGA of Japan Tour|1977]], [[1988 PGA of Japan Tour|1988]], [[1989 PGA of Japan Tour|1989]], [[1990 PGA of Japan Tour|1990]], [[1992 PGA of Japan Tour|1992]], [[1994 PGA of Japan Tour|1994]], [[1995 PGA of Japan Tour|1995]], [[1996 PGA of Japan Tour|1996]], [[1997 PGA of Japan Tour|1997]], [[1998 PGA of Japan Tour|1998]]
|-
| rowspan=2|T2 || align=left|{{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Isao Aoki]] || rowspan=2|5 || align=left|[[1976 PGA of Japan Tour|1976]], [[1978 PGA of Japan Tour|1978]], [[1979 PGA of Japan Tour|1979]], [[1980 PGA of Japan Tour|1980]], [[1981 PGA of Japan Tour|1981]]
|-
| align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shingo Katayama]] || align=left|[[2000 Japan Golf Tour|2000]], [[2004 Japan Golf Tour|2004]], [[2005 Japan Golf Tour|2005]], [[2006 Japan Golf Tour|2006]], [[2008 Japan Golf Tour|2008]]
|-
| 4 || align=left|{{flagicon|JPN|1870}} [[Tsuneyuki Nakajima]] || 4 || align=left|[[1982 PGA of Japan Tour|1982]], [[1983 PGA of Japan Tour|1983]], [[1985 PGA of Japan Tour|1985]], [[1986 PGA of Japan Tour|1986]]
|-
| rowspan=5|T5 || align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shugo Imahira]] || rowspan=5|2 || align=left|[[2018 Japan Golf Tour|2018]],  [[2019 Japan Golf Tour|2019]]
|-
| align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Toshimitsu Izawa]] || align=left|[[2001 Japan Golf Tour|2001]], [[2003 Japan Golf Tour|2003]]
|-
| align=left|{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Kim Kyung-tae]] || align=left|[[2010 Japan Golf Tour|2010]], [[2015 Japan Golf Tour|2015]]
|-
| align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Naomichi Ozaki]] || align=left|[[1991 PGA of Japan Tour|1991]], [[1999 Japan Golf Tour|1999]]
|-
| align=left|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Toru Taniguchi]] || align=left|[[2002 Japan Golf Tour|2002]], [[2007 Japan Golf Tour|2007]]
|}

==Awards==
{| class="wikitable"
!Season!!Most Valuable Player!!Rookie of the Year
|-
| align=center|[[2024 Japan Golf Tour|2024]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Takumi Kanaya]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kensei Hirata]]
|-
| align=center|[[2023 Japan Golf Tour|2023]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Keita Nakajima]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Keita Nakajima]]
|-
| align=center|[[2022 Japan Golf Tour|2022]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kazuki Higa]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yuto Katsuragawa]]
|-
| align=center|[[2020–21 Japan Golf Tour|2020–21]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Chan Kim]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Takumi Kanaya]]
|-
| align=center|[[2019 Japan Golf Tour|2019]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shugo Imahira]] (2) || {{flagicon|THA}} [[Jazz Janewattananond]]
|-
| align=center|[[2018 Japan Golf Tour|2018]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shugo Imahira]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Rikuya Hoshino]]
|-
| align=center|[[2017 Japan Golf Tour|2017]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yūsaku Miyazato]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Chan Kim]]
|-
| align=center|[[2016 Japan Golf Tour|2016]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yuta Ikeda]] || {{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Shaun Norris (golfer)|Shaun Norris]]
|-
| align=center|[[2015 Japan Golf Tour|2015]] || {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Kim Kyung-tae]] || {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Song Young-han]]
|-
| align=center|[[2014 Japan Golf Tour|2014]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Koumei Oda]] || {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Kim Seung-hyuk]]
|-
| align=center|[[2013 Japan Golf Tour|2013]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hideki Matsuyama]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hideki Matsuyama]]
|-
| align=center|[[2012 Japan Golf Tour|2012]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hiroyuki Fujita]] (2) || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yoshinori Fujimoto]]
|-
| align=center|[[2011 Japan Golf Tour|2011]] || {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Bae Sang-moon]] || {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Park Jae-bum (golfer)|Park Jae-bum]]
|-
| align=center|[[2010 Japan Golf Tour|2010]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hiroyuki Fujita]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shunsuke Sonoda]]
|-
| align=center|[[2009 Japan Golf Tour|2009]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Ryo Ishikawa]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yuta Ikeda]]
|-
| align=center|[[2008 Japan Golf Tour|2008]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shingo Katayama]] (4) || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Ryo Ishikawa]]
|-
| align=center|[[2007 Japan Golf Tour|2007]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Toru Taniguchi]] (3) || {{flagicon|KOR|1997}} [[Lee Seong-ho]]
|-
| align=center|[[2006 Japan Golf Tour|2006]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shingo Katayama]] (3) || {{flagicon|KOR|1997}} [[Lee Dong-hwan (golfer)|Lee Dong-hwan]]
|-
| align=center|[[2005 Japan Golf Tour|2005]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shingo Katayama]] (2) || {{flagicon|KOR|1997}} [[Jang Ik-jae]]
|-
| align=center|[[2004 Japan Golf Tour|2004]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Toru Taniguchi]] (2) || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Takuya Taniguchi]]
|-
| align=center|[[2003 Japan Golf Tour|2003]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Toshimitsu Izawa]] (2) || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hideto Tanihara]]
|-
| align=center|[[2002 Japan Golf Tour|2002]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Toru Taniguchi]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Brendan Jones (golfer)|Brendan Jones]]
|-
| align=center|[[2001 Japan Golf Tour|2001]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Toshimitsu Izawa]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Scott Laycock]]
|-
| align=center|[[2000 Japan Golf Tour|2000]] || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shingo Katayama]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Dean Wilson]]
|}

==Career money leaders==
The table shows the top ten career money leaders on the Japan Golf Tour through the 2021 season. The figures shown include money won in the four global [[men's major golf championships|major championships]] from 1998 onwards and in the individual [[World Golf Championships]] from 1999 to 2009.

{| class="wikitable"
!Position !! Player !! Prize money ([[Japanese yen|¥]])
|-
|align=center|1 || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Masashi Ozaki]]|| align=center|2,688,836,653
|-
|align=center|2 || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shingo Katayama]] || align=center|2,252,278,502
|-
|align=center|3 || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tsuneyuki Nakajima]] || align=center|1,664,953,541
|-
|align=center|4 || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Toru Taniguchi]] || align=center|1,662,207,219
|-
|align=center|5 || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Naomichi Ozaki]] || align=center|1,545,609,713
|-
|align=center|6 || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hiroyuki Fujita]] || align=center|1,533,257,797
|-
|align=center|7 || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yuta Ikeda]] || align=center|1,269,641,069
|-
|align=center|8 || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hideto Tanihara]] || align=center|1,192,142,233
|-
|align=center|9 || {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Katsumasa Miyamoto]] || align=center|1,166,981,591
|-
|align=center|10 || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Brendan Jones (golfer)|Brendan Jones]] || align=center|1,094,192,410
|}

Japan Golf Tour's website has a full list [https://www.jgto.org/pc/TourAllTimeMoneyListEng.do?year=2020&tournaKbnCd=0 here].

==Records==
*Youngest winner: [[Ryo Ishikawa]] (amateur) 15 years, 238 days ([[Munsingwear Open KSB Cup]], 2007)<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/2007/05/21/15yearold_boy_captures_pro_tournament_in_japan.html |title=15-year-old boy captures pro tournament in Japan |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=21 May 2007 |access-date=28 June 2023}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Japan Golf Association]]
*[[List of golfers with most Japan Golf Tour wins]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{official website|https://www.jgto.org/pc/TopPageEng.do}} {{in lang|en}}

{{Japan Golf Tour seasons|state=expanded}}
{{Men's Professional Golf Tours}}

[[Category:Japan Golf Tour| ]]
[[Category:Professional golf tours]]
[[Category:1973 establishments in Japan]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1973]]