Kozuma ready for the challenge in return to Japan on The International Series

Chiba, Japan - Japanese LIV Golf League star Jinichiro Kozuma expects an intense challenge from his compatriots this week at Caledonian Country Club, and believes International Series Japan presented by Moutai is a great showcase for the strength of golf in his country.

The 30-year-old Iron Heads GC member goes into the third of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour calendar in good form after securing an impressive T7 finish at LIV Golf Korea last time out, a superb result considering a back injury which had kept him out of action for the first five events on the LIV Golf calendar.

"There are several LIV Golf players competing this week, and I expect many of them will be near the top of the leaderboard," Kozuma said. "That said, I believe the Japanese players are definitely at a level where they can compete as well.”

Kozuma is no stranger to success, with three JGTO victories to his name. Although he hopes to add to that tally, Kozuma knows it will not be easy with a host of talented local players in the mix along with a sprinkling of LIV Golf stardust and the cream of the Asian Tour.

He said: “The International Series is a very high-level series, and these days it’s not just players from across Asia, but also from the US and Europe, and the level of competition is truly world-class.”

Kozuma won his place on LIV Golf at the LIV Golf Promotions event in 2023 alongside International Series Vietnam champion Kieran Vincent and Asian Tour veteran Kalle Samooja from Finland.

“The main reason I decided to compete (on The International Series) is because I want to challenge myself in that kind of elite environment," Kozuma said. "Since joining the series, I feel I have grown a lot as a player. It has changed my mindset, and I have really been able to feel the gap between myself and the very top players.”

Kozuma believes a threat could come from anywhere, and compatriot Kazuki Higa, an Asian Tour regular, could well be one of the dark horses in the field.

The 30-year-old Japanese player topped his home tour's money list in 2022 after a sensational four wins in a season, and he has hinted at a return to that kind of form with a top-10 finish at the star-studded International Series India presented by DLF and two top-10s on the Asian Tour.

The performance in Delhi has left him 11th overall in The International Series rankings. With a place on LIV Golf up for grabs at the end of the season to the overall champion, there’s plenty at stake in the elevated Asian Tour event taking place just outside Tokyo.

Higa is eager to make the most of the "valuable experience" of playing against some of the best in the world, especially with a home advantage.

“I don’t often get the chance to play with LIV Golf players here, so I see this as a valuable experience and that’s why I’m eager to take part," Higa said. "On top of that, the fact that we can compete here in Japan makes this week even more meaningful—not just for me, but also for the other players coming from the Japan Golf Tour.

“Usually, we are the ones going abroad to compete in The International Series, but this week we get to play on a course we are familiar with. When we play overseas, it is often difficult for Japanese players to reach the top of the leaderboard, but this week we know the course and the conditions, so I am excited to see how well we can perform.

“For players who normally compete in Japan, I think playing on home soil in this kind of international field will be a great motivator, and I expect it to be a really meaningful week for all of us.”

Ishikawa is making his debut on The International Series, and when asked about his experience so far, he was nothing but positive.

“The atmosphere certainly feels different,” he said. “While the setup is fairly similar, Caledonian is a challenging course. It’s been a while since I’ve played a full four-day event here, so I’m looking forward to the test.”

On the Asian Tour’s return to Japan, he added, “It is great to have overseas tournaments here again. There’s strong interest from Asian Tour players, and events like this benefit both tours.”

International Series Japan presented by Moutai runs from 8-11 May at Caledonian Golf Club, Chiba. Tickets for all four days are available, visit the official website for The International Series for further information.