Chiba (Umesato)

The Umesato course at Chiba Country Club opened for play in 1960, hosting the Japan Open just two years after its inauguration. Taizo Kawata remodelled the layout at the start of the new millennium, converting old-fashioned double greens to single greens.

Located an hour’s drive to the northeast of downtown Tokyo, the club operates three 18-hole courses – each with its own clubhouse – that are spread out in a line over 13.5 kilometres. Umesato lies closest to the capital, followed by Noda, then Kawama.

The Japan Open was staged again at the club in 2014 and, more recently, the Umesato course has hosted three editions of the Panasonic Open: Yuta Ikeda won his 14th title on the Japan Tour in 2016 with a 3-stroke margin of victory; Kenichi Kuboya defeated Katsumasa Miyamoto in a playoff for his win in 2017; and Rahil Gangjee from India held off his nearest rivals by one shot to claim the title in 2018.