JGTO players at this week’s Mizuno Open will have more to play for when the event gets underway at the JFE Setonaikai Golf Club on Thursday.
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Apart from the lucrative prize purse of JPY 20,000,000 the opportunity to make their move on the JGTO money list, the leading three players not already exempt who make the cut at the Mizuno Open will also qualify for The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush in July.
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Among them is defending champion Ryosuke Kinoshita is looking to replicate his winning form when he steps up to the tee and competes against a stacked field that includes JGTO multiple winners, Ryo Ishikawa, Kazuki Higa and international players, Shaun Norris (South Africa), Juvic Pagunsan (Philippines) and Scott Vincent (Zimbabwe).
“I’ve been consistently playing well since the start of the season. Out of five tournaments, I’ve finished in the top 10 in four of them this season. But having said that, it doesn’t mean much if I don’t win.
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“So I want to successfully defend my title this week. That would also earn me a spot in The Open Championship, which is a huge incentive. I would love to have another chance to play The Open and become an even stronger player,” said Kinoshita.
The 33-year-old is bidding to make his third appearance at the world’s oldest Major, where he finished tied-59thin his debut in 2021 and missed the cut last year.
“It was an incredible experience to be able to compete under the same conditions as the world’s top-ranked players. And that experience has shaped me into the player I am today.
“I missed the cut at last year’s Open, but I want to continue developing a game that can stand up to that level of competition,” said the three-time JGTO winner.
