Schauffele starts Baycurrent Classic title defence in Yokohama as Tom Kim withdraws after Asian Games gold

The PGA Tour's only stop in Japan began on Thursday at Yokohama Country Club. Xander Schauffele is defending his title at the Baycurrent Classic, in what the tour calls the strongest field of the FedExCup Fall series so far. The 72-player event has no cut and a US$8 million purse, with US$1.44 million for the winner.

One expected star is missing. South Korea's Tom Kim withdrew last weekend after winning gold at the Asian Games. Kris Ventura took his place.

Schauffele's 'home away from home'

Schauffele, 32, won here last October. He shot a Sunday 64 to finish 19 under par and beat Max Greyserman by one shot for his 10th PGA Tour title. His mother's family is in Tokyo, he has been visiting Japan since he was about 10, and he won Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021. This week his wife and one-year-old son are with him, and his son is meeting his great-grandparents for the first time.

He is also up against some history. Nobody has ever successfully defended this title. Schauffele says the plan is to keep the ball in the fairway. After weeks of rain, the rough is thick and hard to read.

Clark leads a strong field

Wyndham Clark is the highest-ranked player in Yokohama at world No. 5. He has won three times this season, including the U.S. Open. Justin Thomas, Adam Scott, Keegan Bradley, Min Woo Lee, Sungjae Im, Nick Taylor and Taylor Pendrith all arrive from the Presidents Cup at Medinah. So does Jacob Bridgeman, who won the Biltmore Championship this autumn and clinched the American win in Chicago.

Hideki Matsuyama leads the home players, along with Ryo Hisatsune. Takumi Kanaya, Keita Nakajima, Jinichiro Kozuma and amateur Koshin Nagasaki received sponsor invitations. Greyserman, runner-up in each of the last two editions, and 2023 winner Collin Morikawa are also in the field, as are Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler.

What's at stake

This is the third of eight FedExCup Fall events, and 500 points go to the winner. Players ranked 51 to 60 at the end of the Fall earn starts in the first two Signature Events of 2027. Spieth starts the week at No. 55, so he has plenty to play for. Players around No. 100, including Tony Finau at No. 104, are trying to keep their full cards for next season.

The par-71 course is 7,322 yards long and was redesigned by Coore and Crenshaw in 2015. It has new fairway bunkers on the 2nd and 15th holes and a longer 18th. Matt McCarty set the course record of 60 here last year.

Tom Kim's Asian Games gold

Kim's withdrawal follows a busy few weeks. He flew from the Presidents Cup in Chicago to the Asian Games in Japan and won gold. That win also exempts him from South Korea's mandatory military service, which is a huge result for his career.

Watching from Malaysia

Japan is one hour ahead of Malaysia, so the tournament is on during the day here. Golf Channel's US coverage runs from 11am to 3pm Malaysia time from Thursday to Sunday, with the final round on Sunday, 11 October.

Key takeaways

• Xander Schauffele defends the Baycurrent Classic at Yokohama Country Club; nobody has ever won this event twice in a row.
• U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark is the top-ranked player in the field, which also includes Matsuyama, Spieth, Thomas and Fowler.
• Tom Kim withdrew after winning Asian Games gold, which also exempts him from military service.
• The event has no cut, a US$8 million purse and 500 FedExCup points for the winner, and the final round is on 11 October.

FAQ

Who won the Baycurrent Classic in 2025? Xander Schauffele won it by one shot from Max Greyserman, closing with a 64 to finish 19 under par.

Why is Tom Kim not playing the Baycurrent Classic? He withdrew after winning gold at the Asian Games, a win that also exempts him from South Korea's military service. Kris Ventura replaced him.

What time can Malaysian fans watch the Baycurrent Classic? Play is during the day in Malaysia, because Japan is only one hour ahead. Golf Channel's coverage window is 11am to 3pm Malaysia time, Thursday to Sunday.

Sources: PGA Tour, Golf Channel, GOLF.com