This week, 84th Japan Open Golf Championship will be held at Koga GC in Fukuoka Prefecture since it was last held in 2008. In 2008 tournament, Shingo Katayama has won his 25th career victory which earned him the lifetime exemption.

This year, Yuki Inamori, who as been NO.1 on Driving Accuracy STATS for 4 years in a row is challenging to defend his champion title.
Last year, on his 8th season as a Pro, Yuki made his first ever victory at this prestigious Major and earned the 5-year seed. But this season, Yuki has been in slow pace, even with the great Driving Accuracy percentage. He finished at solo 7th Dunlop Srixon Fukushima Open is June, which is his only top 10 finish this year. Last week he started out as 10T, but he plunged to 41T after Round 2 and then it was cancelled on the weekend.
"I tried to work on my swing form to look nicer, but that didn't work. I told myself no matter how it looked, if it goes straight then it's okay. Since that change of mind, my shots are coming back. I wanted to get my game back and be ready for this week but since the tournament was shortened to 36-holes, I didn't have the chance to do so. But as a Defending Champion, I want to play up to that title and be competitive in the winner's circle."

If Yuki succeed in defending his title, he will be the 6th player to do so.

Past Champions who succeeded in Defending the Champion title
Tomekichi Miyamoto 1929, 1930
Seve Ballesteros 1977, 1978
Tommy Nakajima 1985, 1986 & 1990, 1991
Jumbo Ozaki 1988, 1989
Joe Ozaki 1999, 2000