The wait is finally going to be over

As we count down the days leading to the season-opening Token Homemate Cup, starting this Thursday, the international editorial team at JGTO also gazed into the crystal ball to see what storylines could potentially make compelling reads this season.

Can Kazuki Higa retain his prize money king title to become the only sixth player to achieve it in history?

It's often said in sports that it's harder to defend a title than it is to win it.

Higa, a winner of four championships last year, will be relishing an opportunity to successfully defend his prize money king title, a remarkable feat achieved by only a handful of players in the Tour's history.

It wasn't too long ago when Shugo Imahira became the most recent player to top the money rankings for two consecutive seasons in 2018 and 2019.

But it's worth noting that since the Tour's inception in 1973, JGTO legends Masashi 'Jumbo' Ozaki, Isao Aoki, Tsuneyuki Nakajima and Shingo Katayama were the only other four players to have attained the title for two successive editions or more.

More young stars rising through the ranks?

The number of young players winning and securing their maiden Tour title last season has been encouraging indeed.

Of the five first-time winners last year, four of them were aged 25 and under.

The list includes Yuto Katsuragawa (24), Riki Kawamoto (23), Kaito Onishi (24) and Taiga Semikawa (22).

More impressively, Kawamoto and Semikawa, the champions of Sansan KBC Augusta and Panasonic Open, would go on to win their second several months later at the Vantelin Tokai Classic and Japan Open respectively.

Will the trend continue this season?

Strategic partnership with DP World Tour to light up the Tour battle for a top-three finish in the money rankings

All JGTO members will surely head into the new season with a bigger motivation and ambition knowing that they have more to play for.

Thanks to the strategic partnership between JGTO and DP World Tour announced last December, the top three money leaders at the end of the season will be awarded a conditional membership to compete on the European circuit.

The scheme has, in fact, come into force almost immediately starting from the 2023 season with Kazuki Higa, Rikuya Hoshino and Aguri Iwasaki being the first three recipients by virtue of being the top three finishers of last year's JGTO money list.

Hence, now it pays more than ever to be among the three players of the season as it would earn you a coveted playing opportunity abroad.

ISPS Handa Championship in Japan to finally take off

The much-anticipated event is finally happening.

The ISPS Handa Championship in Japan, to be held at the PGM Ishioka Golf Club in Ibaraki, from April 20-23 will become the first regular tournament in history to be jointly sanctioned by the JGTO and DP World Tour.

The tournament was supposed to make its much-anticipated debut last year, but it could not take place schedule due to ongoing travel restrictions caused by the pandemic.

Instead, the tournament still went on as a solely sanctioned event on both Tours, carrying the name of ISPS Handa Championship in Japan and ISPS Handa Championship in Spain.

The JGTO members are accustomed to challenging their rivals from other circuits, especially the Korea Tour and Asian Tour, it will be interesting to see how they fare against their European Tour counterparts this time.

Rejuvenated Australian veteran Brendan Jones to continue improving on Tour's all-time record

Rule Brendan Jones out at your peril.

At 48, Jones proved that he still has many good years left in him by winning the New Zealand Open recently and he will be fired up to get himself back in winning ways in Japan.

A 15-time JGTO winner but not since the 2019 Token Homemate Cup, Jones will be out to improve on his already illustrious career record on Tour.

Having cashed in ¥1,105,590,088 in career earnings, Jones currently sits 11th on the all-time career money standings, making him the most successful international player to date.

However, Jones has some catching up to do in terms of career wins. Currently placed joint 17th, Jones is five titles shy of compatriot Graham Marsh's record of 20 career wins (in tied-ninth).