Tournament article

Japan PGA Championship 2021

Senior and Regular Tour players collaborate to make "fivesome" Pro-Am possible

Ryuko Tokimatsu and Nobuo Serizawa
Japan PGA Championship is organized by The Professional Golfers' Association of Japan. This week, JGTO (Japan Golf Tour Organization) has collaborated with The Professional Golfers' Association of Japan in many ways, especially on the Wednesday's Pro-Am.

Usually, Pro-Am is held with 1 professional and 3 guest amateurs, but this week, 1 Senior professional and 1 Regular Tour professional will host 3 guest amateurs, which will be 5 player group, in other words, "fivesome".

Main purpose for this "fivesome" is to entertain the guest amateurs as much as possible, but another point is to let Regular Tour professionals to learn the ways of hospitality from the Senior professionals. Most of the Senior professionals are not entering the tournament, but they all gathered to help out.

Ryuko Tokimatsu was astonished by the hospitality offered by the Senior.
"I was in the same group with Nobuo Serizawa and he was more than great. The way he was giving advice to the guests were superb. When I give advice, sometime guest could not see it, but today Nobuo was so precise, all of the guests were happy about the lessons given by Nobuo. He is also such an entertainer on making friendly conversations. I have learned a lot from him today."

Nobuo Serizawa also praised Ryuko.
"I think Ryuko was doing a good job himself too. I am very confident that Regular Tour is in great hands"

Isao Aoki also made appearance on the Pro-Am with Kodai Ichighara.
"Isao's lesson is so easy to understand, and the amateurs really appreciated. He is also so talented on making everybody feel easy and enjoy playing. I was listening to every word he said, and I was given advice too to think of golf more simply. I tend to think too much so Isao's advice was very worthy for me too", said Kodai.
  • Kodai Ichihara and Isao Aoki