The Dunlop Phoenix takes pride of place on the Japan Tour schedule this week when one of the most the revered titles on that tour is contested.
Played on the southern island of Kyushu and on its south east coast the event has been one of the flagship events of the Japan Tour since the early 1970’s and has been played at that venue on each occasions.
The event has typically attracted one or two international stars although a clash with the DP World Tour Championship this week has meant that Americans, Jordan Spieth and Webb Simpson are the invited marquee players.
Spieth certainly heads the field in terms of world
ranking but Hideki Matsuyama is not all that far behind him and having
finished runner-up in the event two years ago Matsuyama might get the
nod as far as favouritism is concerned.