Chicago Preview: Kozuma hopes to bring his winning form to Chicago for Iron Heads
There is an unmistakable spring in the steps of Iron Heads GC’s Jinichiro Kozuma that usually accompanies a golfer with a recent win.
The Japanese star is now planning to ride the momentum of his victory last month in the Japan Golf Tour’s Sansai KBC Augusta Golf Tournament by scripting a solid finish to the regular season at LIV Golf Chicago.
The 30-year-old Kazuma is ranked 45th in the season-long Individual Standing and it would take a lot of results from other players to go against him and drag him into the Drop Zone (ranked 49 and below), but he wants to avoid any such possibility by putting on a good show himself.
“I knew that I was playing good golf and winning in Japan was really big for me. It has definitely boosted my confidence coming here and I hope to have a good result,” said Kazuma, one of three players to qualify for the 2024 LIV Golf season through the Promotions event.
“I like the layout this week. It’s not a very long course, which means you don’t have to be a bomber off the tee to do well. I am feeling good about my chances this week. I definitely want to finish higher in the LIV Golf ranking.”
There were signs that Kazuma was ready to do something special when he finished in the Top 20 in Greenbrier, where he contributed sub-par scores in every round to the team’s cause and led the putting stats with just 79 putts to complete his three rounds.
“Yes, I feel my putting has been good,” said Kazuma. “The feeling with my putter is a lot better after I made some changes recently. I can feel everything going in now.
“I tried out a few putters, including a long putter. But I now have this regular Odyssey putter that I like. And I also changed my stance with the putter slightly, and it all helped.”
Bolingbrook Golf Club, the host venue of this year’s LIV Golf Chicago, has Bentgrass on its greens, and that’s something that immediately caught Kozuma’s eyes.
“I love Bentgrass greens. That’s probably because we have it on most golf courses in Japan, and I feel very comfortable with it,” Kazuma added.
While the season has not been what Iron Heads would have wanted, Kozuma said he has loved every moment of being part of Captain Kevin Na’s team.
“I have got a lot of respect for all these players on LIV Golf, and I have received a lot of respect from them. I know we haven’t had a great season, but I have really enjoyed being a part of Iron Heads,” said Kazuma.
“First of all, it is an all-Asian team (Scott Vincent is Zimbabwean but has spent many years playing on the Asian Tour and Japan), so I felt very comfortable from the beginning. And Kevin has been very good with me. He has always supported me.
“I know I have improved as a player. Just watching these great players and playing against them will do that to you. I do feel that I have an advantage when I go back to play in Japan or Asia.”
The first-round draw for LIV Golf Chicago has been made as per rankings, which means Kozuma has been paired with HyFlyers’ Phil Mickelson and Majesticks’ Ian Poulter, teeing off at 1215 local time from Hole 12. Captain Na is off from Hole No. 8 with Charles Howell III and Andy Ogletree.
Vincent, who will look to finish the season in style, just like he did last year in Jeddah to get inside the Lock Zone with a 4th place, will start from the 17th tee with Harold Varner III and Pat Perez. Danny Lee is grouped with Thomas Pieters and Lee Westwood on Hole 9.