Dubai based Rafa Cabrera Bello headlines next week’s $2 million ISPS Handa Championship, April 20th – 23rd at PGM Ishioka GC, Omitama, Japan.

It is the 18th event on the 44 tournament schedule on the 2022 – 2023 DP World Tour and the first regular tournament in history to be co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the JGTO.

Joining Rafa in the field are fellow Dubai based players, Adri Arnaus and Nicolas Colsaerts as well as Aaron Cockerill, representing The Els Club Dubai.

Denmark’s Nicolai Højgaard and twin brother Rasmus are rising stars of the DP World Tour, with five wins between them. Nicolai is aiming to build on recent success in Asia following a top five finish at the Thailand Classic in February, while Rasmus is making his DP World Tour debut in the region.

Legends of the game Ernie Els and Thomas Bjørn, representing Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club and also slated to play in the event.

Top five in Thailand

Spaniard Cabrera Bello is a proud ISPS Handa ambassador and will arrive in Japan seeking to better his own recent top five finish in Thailand, as the Ryder Cup player and Rolex Series winner seeks his fifth DP World Tour title.

Cabrera Bello said, ‘I always enjoy playing in Asia and had a great week in Thailand on my last start. It’s exciting to be part of the DP World Tour’s first tournament in Japan, with the support of ISPS Handa, and I can’t wait to experience it.’

The ISPS Handa - CHAMPIONSHIP deepens the DP World Tour’s long-standing relationship with ISPS Handa, the organisation founded by Japanese philanthropist Dr Haruhisa Handa in the belief that sport has the power to inspire, transform, and unite people and communities across social, racial and socio-economic barriers.

A great example

Dr Handa said, ‘The world is becoming increasingly globalized and golf is no exception to this, with the wider DP World Tour, PGA Tour and JGTO collaboration a great example.

‘ISPS looks forward to the partnership of Japan’s golfing world with the DP World Tour through this tournament and we are excited for the future of Japanese golf to keep in tandem with the globalization trend. ISPS is here to support this important juncture in golf.’

ISPS Handa has supported events on the DP World Tour International Schedule for almost a decade, including the ISPS Handa Wales Open (2012-14 and 2020), ISPS Handa Perth International (2012-14 and 2016), ISPS Handa World Cup of Golf (2013, 2016, 2018), (ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth (2017-19), ISPA Handa Vic Open (2019-20), ISPS Handa UK Championship (2020), ISPS Handa World Invitational presented by Modest! Golf Management (2021) and ISPS Handa Championship in Spain (2022).