Woods and McIlroy to play skins exhibition in Japan

A return of the skins format will see Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day and Hideki Matsuyama face off in Japan next month.

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy will take part in The Challenge: Japan Skins ahead of the ZOZO Championship next month.

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy will take part in The Challenge: Japan Skins ahead of the ZOZO Championship next month.

The PGA Tour has endorsed the four-player event which will see Woods, McIlroy, Jason Day and Hideki Matsuyama take part in a high-stakes contest, with prize money on offer at each hole.

The contest tees off on October 21 at the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, where the ZOZO Championship will also be held later in the same week.

The latter tournament is the first official event on the PGA Tour to be hosted in Japan.

Woods, a 15-time major champion, said of The Challenge: "I haven't been back to Japan since 2006 and the golf fans there are some of the best in the world.

A high-stakes exhibition event is set to kick off @zozochamp week in Japan, uniting four of the top players in the world from separate continents.https://t.co/mMdRyjs1gi

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 19, 2019

 

"It's a unique format and a top field with Rory, Jason and Hideki. I can't wait to play against them on a global stage.

"I haven't played a skins format in quite some time, so it will be fun to try something a little different and add a few strategic elements as we compete.

"There has already been some friendly banter between us and that will continue until we get to the first tee."

The PGA Tour previously had the Skins Game running from 1983 until 2008.

Woods finished as a runner-up on three occasions.