A strong contingent of Japanese players is heading to the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth drawing the attention of the golf loving nation to Western Australia.

World Number 72 Hideto Tanihara will return to compete in the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth at Lake Karrinyup Country Club from 8-11 February.

Having qualified for the match play in 2017, Tanihara recorded a 1UP victory over Duncan Stewart of Scotland in the first round, before being knocked out of the tournament in the second round by the inaugural champion Brett Rumford.

“I really enjoyed my time in Perth last year and I liked the Lake Karrinyup Country Club, it reminded me of some of the courses in the west of Japan,” said Tanihara.

“Last year I qualified for the match play and got through to the second round. Unfortunately I came up against the eventual champion Brett Rumford. He was playing excellent golf that day, so this year I hope to do a little better and get past the second round of matches.”

Joining Tanihara will be World Number 54 Yusaku Miyazato who was the Number 1 player on the Japan Golf Tour in 2017 having won four times. Thanks to his impressive play last year and his world ranking, Miyazato will make his debut at The Masters in April.

World Number 42 Satoshi Kodaira will also tee up in the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth and like his fellow countryman will be a player to watch at Lake Karrinyup Country Club. Kodaira finished second on the Japan Golf Tour money list, behind Miyazato, thanks to two wins in 2017 and with the qualification cut off date for The Masters looming in late March, a good performance in Perth could see him rise in the World Rankings to solidify his place in the Top 50 and earn a place in Augusta.

American Seungsu Han, has carved a successful career on the Japan Golf Tour finishing fourth on the money list in 2017 after recording his maiden professional victory. The World Number 80 is also set to tee it up alongside his fellow Japan Golf Tour players at the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth.

These proven champions add significant depth to the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth field as eight players from the top-100 in the Official World Golf Rankings will compete in the stroke play, match play hybrid tournament.

“We are delighted to welcome Hideto Tanihara, Yusaku Miyazato, Satoshi Kodaira and Seungsu Han to Lake Karrinyup Country Club,” said Gavin Kirkman, CEO of the PGA of Australia which owns the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.

“The Japan Golf Tour and the depth of talent competing there week-to-week is incredibly strong so to have three of their top-four players from 2017 at the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth is a coup for the tournament.

“We are happy with the field that we are assembling for the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth. With the addition of these great players along with Lee Westwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Danny Willett and Brett Rumford, fans should expect to see some tightly fought matches come Sunday.”

Golf is widely popular in Japan and the country is set to host the Olympic Games in 2020 where golf will appear for the second consecutive time.

Japan is also a large source market for visitors to Western Australia, making it a key demographic for the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth.

“I’d like to welcome top Japanese players Hideto Tanihara, Yusaku Miyazato and Satoshi Kodaira as well as American Seungsu Han to Perth and invite them to experience some of the magnificent tourism aspects of our great city and beyond,” said Paul Papalia, Tourism Minister, Western Australia.

“Hosting international sporting events is an important part of our strategy to grow Western Australia’s economy and create jobs, and events like this one not only deliver significant national and international media coverage of the State, but also inject millions into the economy by attracting visitors.

“Japan is Western Australia’s eleventh largest source market by visitor numbers and ninth by visitor spending. In the year ending September 2017, there was 27,500 Japanese visitors that spent an estimated AUD$57 million.”

For just a $25* general admission fans can watch Danny Willett, Brett Rumford, Tyrrell Hatton, Lee Westwood and others in action in the innovative ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth. While children aged 16 years and under enter free of charge.

Tickets are available from Ticketmaster.com.au.

Corporate hospitality options are available including the popular West Cape Howe Wines Terrace and BDO Super Suite.

The ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth event is proudly supported by the Western Australian Government through Tourism WA.

* Ticket prices include GST. Transaction fees apply. Please note the booking terms and conditions when purchasing your tickets through www.ticketmaster.com.au.