Mizuno Open
The Mizuno Open (ミズノオープン, Mizuno ōpun) is a professional golf tournament played in Japan. Founded in 1971, it has been a Japan Golf Tour event since 1979. Since 1998, the event has been prefixed Gateway to The Open (全英への道, Zen'ei eno michi), with the top finishers gaining exemptions into The Open Championship.
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Hokota, Ibaraki, Japan |
| Established | 1971 |
| Course(s) | The Royal Golf Club |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 8,007 yards (7,322 m) |
| Tour(s) | Japan Golf Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | ¥100 million |
| Month played | May/June |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 266 Norio Suzuki (1980) |
| To par | −20 as above |
| Current champion | |
 Yuta Ikeda | |
| Location Map | |
  The Royal Golf Club Location in Japan  The Royal Golf Club Location in Ibaraki Prefecture | |
The Mizuno Open has been held at The Royal Golf Club in Hokota, Ibaraki since 2018. It was previously played at Anegasaki Country Club in Ichihara, Chiba until 1975; at Tokinodai Country Club in Hakui, Ishikawa from 1976 to 1997; at Setonaikai Golf Club in Kasaoka, Okayama from 1998 to 2006 and also from 2011 to 2014; and from 2007 to 2010 it was played at the Yomiuri Country Club in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo.
The purse for the 2019 event was ¥100,000,000, with ¥20,000,000 going to the winner.
History
The Mizuno Open was founded in 1971 as the Mizuno Tournament with both men's and women's events running side-by-side. It was restricted to golfers using at least ten Mizuno clubs. In 1979, fifty leading professionals in Japan were also eligible to compete as the tournament counted towards the Japan Golf Tour money-list ranking for the first time. In 1983 it became a full tour event and in 1985 changed its name to the Mizuno Open. From 1991, the women's event was played separately.[1]
Since 1998, the event has been prefixed "Gateway to The Open", with the top four finishers in the tournament that were not already qualified gaining exemptions into The Open Championship. There has also been a mini-money list of Japan Golf Tour events up to and including the Mizuno Open that earns two exemptions into The Open. From 2007 to 2010 The Mizuno Open merged with the Yomiuri Open to form the Gateway to The Open Mizuno Open Yomiuri Classic.
Tournament hosts
| Years | Venue | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 2018–present | The Royal Golf Club | Hokota, Ibaraki |
| 2007–2010 | Yomiuri Country Club | Nishinomiya, Hyōgo |
| 1998–2006, 2011–2014 | Setonaikai Golf Club | Kasaoka, Okayama |
| 1976–1997 | Tokinodai Country Club | Hakui, Ishikawa |
| 1971–1975 | Anegasaki Country Club | Ichihara, Chiba |
Winners
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- Tournament reduced to 54 holes after the third round was cancelled due to heavy rain.
- Tournament reduced to 54 holes after the final round was cancelled due to fog.
- Tournament reduced to 63 holes after the final round was cut to nine holes due to heavy rain.
- Tournament reduced to 54 holes after the final round was cancelled; this resulted in a tie for first place.
References
- "ミズノオープンの歴史" [History of the Mizuno Open] (in Japanese). Mizuno Open. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- "Arai wins Mizuno golf". Winona Daily News. Winona, Minnesota. AP. 25 June 1984. p. 16. Retrieved 30 January 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Veteran arai breaks nine-year lean spell". The Straits Times. AP. 11 August 1981. p. 30. Retrieved 30 January 2021 – via National Library Board (Singapore).
- McCormack, Mark H. (1981). Dunhill World of Professional Golf 1981. Collins. pp. 178, 392. ISBN 0862540054.