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Everything you need to know for The Challenge: Japan Skins

Discovery

Live scoring for The Challenge: Japan Skins can be found here once the action begins.

How to watch

United States

Date Channel Time (ET)
Mon. Oct. 21 Golf Channel 12:00 a.m.(midnight) - 4:00 a.m.

Canada

Date Channel Time (ET)
Mon. Oct. 21 GOLF TV (online) 12:00 a.m.(midnight) - 4:00 a.m.

Format

The Japan Skins will use the traditional format: the lowest score on a hole wins the money. If two or more players tie a hole, the skin value is carried over to the next one.

In the event of a tie on the 18th, a playoff will determine who wins the final skin, with no carryover if the playoff extends to multiple holes.

Value of each skin:

Holes one through six: $10,000 per skin
Holes seven through 12: $15,000 per skin
Holes 13 through 17: $20,000 per skin
Hole 18: $100,000 super skin
Total purse: $350,000

There will be additional side challenges similar to the ones used during "The Match: Tiger vs. Phil." Money wagered in these challenges will benefit the event's charity partners.

Contestants

Tiger Woods

Sam Greenwood / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Tiger makes his unofficial 2019-20 season debut at the skins game, which he will follow up a few days later with an appearance at the Zozo Championship in Japan. Questions about his health persist, though, as the 43-year-old underwent a fifth surgery on his left knee in the offseason after withdrawing from his second-last event of 2018-19 with an oblique strain.

Rory McIlroy

Harry Trump / Getty Images Sport / Getty

After winning the FedEx Cup at the Tour Championship to cap his season as Player of the Year, McIlroy headed to the European Tour for three events. The Northern Irishman chalked up two top-10 finishes and enters the Japan Skins as the obvious favorite.

Hideki Matsuyama

Warren Little / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Matsuyama will have plenty of local support when he tees it up in his native country. The skins game is only the start of a busy week for both the country and golfer, as Matsuyama will remain in the spotlight as Japan gets set to host its first-ever PGA Tour event.

Jason Day

Stan Badz / PGA TOUR / Getty

Day is playing decent midway through the CJ Cup in South Korea after struggling for the majority of 2018-19. Whether his form carries over into the skins game remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: he'll be the one who works the hardest to get under Tiger's skin.

Odds to win

Rory McIlroy: +175
Hideki Matsuyama: +275
Tiger Woods: +300
Jason Day: +325

The course

  • Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan
  • 7,120 yards, par 70, according to BlueGolf.com
  • Tree-lined, parkland design with plenty of water
  • Multiple holes feature two greens
  • Par 3s: five
  • Par 4s: 10
  • Par 5s: three

History

The inaugural PGA Tour skins game took place in 1983 between legends Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, and Tom Watson. Player took home the most money with $170,000 ($438,000 today after inflation).

Fred Couples is the winningest player in skins game history. He's won five competitions, totaling $2.43 million in earnings.

Tiger has competed in seven prior skins games. He's never been crowned champion.

Greg Norman claimed the largest single-event payout with his $1-million prize in 2001.

The last skins game took place in 2008. K.J. Choi beat Phil Mickelson, Stephen Ames, and Rocco Mediate.

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