The 5th Jolly Fox Invitational Tournament concluded on June 8, 2024, with victory going to the Sapporo/Tokyo team.
Although the Invitational Tournament – a kickoff event for this summer’s Jolly Fox- drew an international group of players, it marks the second consecutive year that a fully Japanese team has won.
As customary, each team consists of a fox (low handicap, skilled golfer) and a mouse (high handicap, less skilled golfer), competing over two days at the Hanazono Golf Course before joining the prize-giving BBQ party at the Park Hyatt Hanazono Niseko.
The winning team included fox Yuya Chida, President of the Sapporo-based real estate and design company Feather Home, and mouse Masayuki Uchiuzo, CEO of the Tokyo-based Aoyama REAX real estate company.
In the tradition of the Jolly Fox, the winners received trophies and toasted with beer before cheering crowds.
This was the first Jolly Fox event for both. When asked what surprised them most about the tournament, they immediately answered, “winning.” Though new to the Jolly Fox experience, it wasn’t their first time playing golf in Niseko. Both expressed enjoying the natural beauty of the area after leaving the golf course.
“Taking in the stunning Mount Yotei, hiking, and immersing ourselves in nature are must-do activities in Niseko,” shared Mr. Chida.
Reflecting on their victory, Mr. Masayuki Uchiuzo said, “It was our first time participating, so we were unfamiliar, but I think our victory came from our good pairing.”
Participants included in the 2020 tournament.
The Jolly Fox Tournament debuted in the spring of 2020 amidst the COVID pandemic, when amateur golfers from Niseko, like Michael Chen (co-CEO of H2 Group), conceived the idea of a community golf tournament to facilitate safe social interaction during the pandemic. Golfing in Niseko had become popular before the pandemic due to diverse golf courses and attractions such as Japanese hot springs, craft beverages, farm-to-table dining, and mild summer weather.
This year’s Invitational Tournament set a record with 16 sponsors providing prizes including golf clubs, free rounds of golf, golf bags, dinner vouchers, and hotel stays for various smaller competitions held over three rounds, such as a ¥5 million hole-in-one prize and a ¥1 million putting prize.
Next up is the Jolly Fox International event from July 27 to 31 and the Jolly Fox Aspect from September 29 to October 3, expanding the Jolly Fox format to the public.
For more details and to register your interest, please visit the Jolly Fox website and follow the action, outfits, and antics on The Jolly Fox’s Facebook and Instagram channels.
Read more: Why should Niseko be your summer golf destination?
Source: PowderLife, Photos: The Jolly Fox
