Sansan KBC Augusta ready to mark 50^th anniversary milestone on JGTO

The Sansan KBC Augusta is set to celebrate a landmark 50th anniversary milestone when it kicks off at the Keya Golf Club in Fukuoka on Thursday.

This storied tournament became part of the inaugural season of the JGTO in 1973 and will also be commemorating the 20th anniversary of KBC's (Kyushu Asahi Broadcasting) founding.

The tournament was initially held at the Fukuoka Country Club for its first 10 editions. Subsequently, the Kyushu Shima Country Club took over hosting duties from 1983 to 1991. The Keya Golf Club has been the venue since 1992.

Sansan KBC Augusta is not just another stop on the JGTO tour. Since 2017, the tournament has adopted the tagline "Keya Summer Festival" and has been enriched with various off-the-course events centered around music, gourmet food, and outdoor activities.

This time around, the organisers have lined up mini-concerts featuring local idols and even hoisting hot air balloons into the sky.

On the competitive front, all eyes are set on who will claim the honour of becoming the 50th winner of the tournament. Defending champion Riki Kawamoto aims to be only the second player in history to secure back-to-back victories.

The sole player to achieve this feat previously was Jumbo Ozaki, who impressively managed a three-peat from 1996 to 1998.

However, Kawamoto, who is still winless this year, will have to brace himself for a challenge from the current 'Big Four' on the current season's money list – Keita Nakajima, Takumi Kanaya, Taiga Semikawa, and Kensei Hirata – all of whom are part of this week's 147-man field.

For the better part of the season's first half, one of these 'Under-25' standouts has consistently vied for victory each week, occasionally culminating in gripping playoffs, sparking dramatic moments, and captivating storylines.

The tournament also features several past winners, including three-time champion Yuta Ikeda (2009, 2015, 2017), Daijiri Izumida (2018), Ryo Ishikawa (2016), the South Korean duo of Park Sung-joon (2013) and Kim Hyo-sung (2012), as well as Taichi Tesima (2006).

The international group, led by South African Shaun Norris, Philippines' Juvic Pagunsan, and the Australian duo of Brad Kennedy and Anthony Quayle, seeks to challenge the local players' dominance once more.

Of the quartet, Pagunsan claimed victory earlier this year at the Golf Partner Pro-Am Tournament in May.

Ends.