Now in its fourth year, the ZOZO has already seen some remarkable historical moments with Tiger Woods winning the inaugural event in 2019 (his latest and possibly last Tour win) and hometown hero Hideki Matsuyama claiming the title amid wild scenes last year.

The exotic (for the Tour) location and enthusiastic crowds seem to combine to create a compelling event each year and it is to be hoped 2022 is no different.

DEFENDING CHAMPION: It is difficult from outside Japan to understand the cult status of the nation’s first men’s major winner, Hideki Matsuyama.

His 2021 Masters victory was received in not dissimilar fashion to Adam Scott’s 2013 win in Australia but multiplied by several factors.

Matsuyama’s final nine holes around the Accordia Narashino Country Club included three birdies in a five-hole stretch and was capped off by a magnificent eagle at the 18th.

RIGHT: Japan's golfing hero Hideki Matsuyama authored a memorbale victory here last year. PHOTO: Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images.

COURSE: Golf in Japan is different to the way most in the west experience the game and the Accordia Golf Narashino Course is a shining example.

There was a time when the majority of courses in Japan featured two greens for each hole to account for the extreme differences in weather between summer and winter.

Development in turf science has seen the practice disappear at most courses but at Accordia it remains and in 2019 officials used both putting surfaces (on different days) on the fourth hole during tournament week.

Quirks of design aside, the Accordia Narashino course has been home to some historic moments in Japanese golf as a regular host of some of the country’s most prestigious tournaments.

Among those on the honour roll are Seve Ballesteros (1977 Japan Open), Larry Nelson (1989 Suntory Open) and our own Graham Marsh twice (also at the Suntory Open in 1976 and 1986).

Not overly long by modern standards at around 6,400 metres, the two PGA Tour events hosted here to date have returned winning totals of 19-under-par (Tiger in 2019) and -15 for Matsuyama last year so low scoring is possible.

Of the 78 players who teed up here last year 34 finished at par figures of better for the 72 holes so clearly only those playing well will be rewarded with birdies.

RELATED: So-called expert golf tips for this week

PRIZEMONEY: US$11,000,000

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Just two of the world’s top-10 ranked golfers have made the trip to Japan with Xander Schauffele (5th) and Collin Morikawa (9th) both among the favourites.

Both are making their third start at Accordia (the tournament was played in California in 2020 because of the pandemic) and both have one top-10 finish.

Xander Schauffele has familial ties to Japan and won his Olympic Gold medal in the country last year. PHOTO: Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images.

However, given the lack of many of the Tour’s biggest name players there are several emerging talents who might take advantage this week.

England’s Matt Wallace has earned an invite back after finishing T4 last year and after some struggles earlier in 2022 seems to have steadied the ship.

Top-25 finishes at his first two starts for the season suggest a runner-up result at Crans-sure-Sierre in August wasn’t a one-off result.

With a liking for the course, a reduced field and growing confidence Wallace could be one to watch this week.

The man of the hour is of course Tom Kim whose history making performance in Las Vegas was simply the continuation of a remarkable wave of form.

Common sense suggests backing up after crossing the globe would be unlikely, but Kim seems wired differently to most and may yet surprise us again.

The defending champion will again be the centre of attention and that is as it should be. He was runner-up to Woods here in 2019 and showed his finish last year was one of the moments of 2021.

Well rested after a three week break and with plenty of crowd support, expect Matsuyama to lift on a course he clearly likes a lot.

72-HOLE RECORD: 261 (-19, Tiger Woods, 2019)

PAST AUSSIE WINNERS: No Australian has won this event.

AUSTRALIANS IN THE FIELD: Cam Davis and Lucas Herbert.

TV TIMES*
Round 1: Thursday (Fox Sports 505 2pm – 6pm)
Round 2: Friday (Fox Sports 505 2pm – 6pm)
Round 3: Saturday (Fox Sports 505 1.30pm – 5.30pm)
Round 4: Sunday (Fox Sports 505 2pm – 5pm & Fox Sports 506 5pm – 6pm)
*AEDT, check local guides