The new 2022 JGTO season tees off this week with promises of top-notch action ready to capture the imagination of golf fans even as it readies for its post-pandemic recovery.

Like many other professional golf tours worldwide, the JGTO was significantly impacted when the COVID-19 pandemic first struck two years ago.

Despite all the difficulties faced, the Tour was able to roar back to life with a full schedule of 30 events completed last year that culminated in Chan Kim of the United States being crowned the money list winner of the 2020-21 season.

Now, it's time for the fans to get excited again as another intriguing battle is about to take place when the JGTO stars congregate at the domestic season-opening ¥130,000,000 Token Homemate Cup in Mie this Thursday.

The showdown at the Token Tado Country Club Nagoya will mark the start of a 26-tournament calendar where a staggering combined prize fund of ¥2,972,580,000 (approximately US$24.58mil) is up for grabs for its members.

Here are some of the storylines that fans can look out for this year: 

Opportunity for Chan Kim to create history

So, just how good can Kim be as he competes on JGTO for the seventh consecutive season?

Powered by three victories and six top 10 finishes last season, the 31-year-old cashed in ¥127,599,803 to become the only second American to become the JGTO number one since David Ishii in 1987.

But the question can Kim replicate that splendid form this year to leave a legacy of his own?

As no foreign player has accomplished the feat before, he stands a chance to etch his name into the JGTO history books as the first foreign player to top the money list in successive seasons.

Way to go, Kim!

Still growth is remarkable this year as well Takumi Kanaya

Being a former world number one amateur, Takumi Kanaya entered last season with a massive reputation, and he lived up to it with a standout performance to win him the Rookie of the Year award.

The 23-year-old's brilliant run was highlighted by two victories at the 2020 Dunlop Phoenix and 2021 Token Homemate Cup and 15 other top 10 finishes. 

He narrowly missed out on the money list crown, which would have otherwise seen him emulate his idol Hideki Matsuyama's feat on becoming the JGTO number one and Rookie of the year double in the same year.

Expect more to come from him!

Evergreen Hideto Tanihara

What a remarkable run by 43-year-old Tanihara in the closing stretch of last season, which saw him end the year with two titles in his last three starts.

After ending his five-year title drought at the Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Master, he went on to win another three weeks later by capturing the season-ending Golf Nippon Series JT Cup to finish fourth in the money list.

The two additional victories also took his JGTO career tally to 16 since his debut in 2002. He is now tied at 14th in the all-time list of players with the most JGTO wins.

Tanihara has yet to play any tournament this year, and he will be looking to pick up where he left off last December.

Don't rule him out just yet!

Strong Foreign Challenge

The home players' pride is at stake as the foreign players have continued to stamp their mark by walking away with many titles in recent years.

Of the 30 events staged in the 2020-21 season, a third of them had been won by foreign players, with Chan Kim bagging three.

Not to be outdone, South African Shaun Norris and Zimbabwean Scott Vincent also secured two each, while Juvic Pagunsan of the Philippines and Seonghyeon Kim were the other two victors.

Will the trend continues?

Who is the next young star to emerge?

There will always be some young guns, whether rookies or amateurs, who burst onto the scene each year and last season was no exception.

Those who have hogged the limelight, including Naoyuki Kataoka, Tomoyasu Sugiyama and world number one amateur Keita Nakajima, who won the Players Championship, Bridgestone Open and Panasonic Open, respectively.

Watch out for Ryo Hisatsune, the money list winner of the ABEMA Tour of last season, who looks set to give his more illustrious seniors a run for their money this season.

He was already proving his worth in the last five starts on the main Tour late by notching four top 20 finishes, with the best being a tied fourth at the Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters.