Japan Challenge Tour
Current season, competition or edition: 2024 Japan Challenge Tour | |
| Formerly | AbemaTV Tour |
|---|---|
| Sport | Golf |
| Founded | 1985 |
| First season | 1985 |
| Countries | Based in Japan |
| Most titles | Tournament wins: Gohei Sato (5) Masamichi Uehira (5) |
| Related competitions | Japan Golf Tour |
The Japan Challenge Tour, currently titled as the Abema Tour for sponsorships reasons, is a series of developmental golf tournaments run by the Japan Golf Tour Organization. It has been in operation since 1985.
In 2023, the schedule featured 12 tournaments, with prize funds of mostly ¥15,000,000.[1] This is about a tenth of the level of prize money per event on offer on the main Japan Golf Tour, with the main tour also having a longer season.
In January 2018, the tour signed a sponsor title agreement with AbemaTV, being renamed as the AbemaTV Tour for the 2018 season onwards.[2] The agreement lasted until the end of the 2024 season.[3]
In July 2018, it was also announced that the tour would be included into the Official World Golf Ranking starting in 2019, with the winner receiving a minimum of 4 points for a 54-hole event.[4]
The top 20 players earn entry into the Japan Golf Tour.[5]
Money list winners
[edit]| Season | Winner | Prize money (¥) |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Taisei Yamada |
5,259,789 |
| 2023 | Tatsunori Shogenji |
11,253,106 |
| 2022 | Yujiro Ohori |
7,798,551 |
| 2020–21 | Ryo Hisatsune |
10,922,467 |
| 2019 | Yoshikazu Haku |
6,797,444 |
| 2018 | Taihei Sato |
7,256,163 |
| 2017 | Tomoharu Otsuki |
3,787,591 |
| 2016 | Yoshinobu Tsukada |
5,509,115 |
| 2015 | Yu Morimoto |
4,479,531 |
| 2014 | Shugo Imahira |
7,444,288 |
| 2013 |  Kwon Ki-taek |
5,326,885 |
| 2012 | Yuki Koko |
4,607,237 |
| 2011 | Tatsunori Nukaga |
5,846,275 |
| 2010 |  Dinesh Chand |
4,780,625 |
| 2009 |  Chris Campbell |
6,136,154 |
| 2008 | Masamichi Uehira |
6,329,033 |
| 2007 | Michio Matsumura |
6,685,183 |
| 2006 | Takaki Ono |
7,710,069 |
| 2005 | Shoichi Ideguchi |
5,070,263 |
| 2004 | Yoshiaki Kimura |
4,199,650 |
| 2003 | Masamichi Uehira |
3,082,833 |
| 2002 | Tatsuhiko Ichihara |
4,124,935 |
| 2001 |  Hur Suk-ho |
5,150,264 |
| 2000 | Masanori Kobayashi |
3,851,250 |
| 1999 | Kosaku Makisaka |
3,461,294 |
| 1998 | No information known | |
| 1997 | ||
| 1996 | ||
| 1995 | ||
| 1994 | ||
| 1993 | ||
| 1992 | ||
| 1991 | ||
| 1990 | ||
| 1989 | ||
| 1988 | ||
| 1987 | ||
| 1986 | ||
| 1985 | ||
References
[edit]- ^ "2023 Challenge Schedule". Japan Golf Tour Organization. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ "ス 「AbemaTV」がJGTO主催「チャレンジトーナメント」との年間特別スポンサー契約を締結 現「チャレンジトーナメント」から「AbemaTVツアー」へ名称を変更" ["AbemaTV" signs annual special sponsorship agreement with "Challenge Tournament" sponsored by JGTO Changed name from "Challenge Tournament" to "AbemaTV Tour"] (in Japanese). Abema. 31 January 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ "Abemaツアー７年間の歴史に幕。男子ツアーに様々な変革と刺激を注入した功績に感謝" [The Abema Tour has come to an end over its seven-year history. Thanked for injecting a variety of transformations and inspirations into the men's tour] (in Japanese). Japan Golf Tour Organization. 18 October 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
- ^ "Board Announcement". Official World Golf Ranking. 20 July 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
The Abema TV Tour will be introduced to the OWGR at minimum points levels of 4 first place points for its tournaments that are played over 54 holes.
- ^ "Abema Tour 2022 season tees off". Japan Golf Tour Organization. 6 April 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
Players who finish inside the top-20 on the money list will earn their main JGTO cards in 2023.