DFS preview: Use defending champ Collin Morikawa to anchor lineups in Japan

Collin Morikawa is the reigning champion at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, but he’s not the player with the highest salary on the board this week at DraftKings.

That distinction belongs to betting favorite Xander Schauffele, who sits $1,000 ahead of Morikawa for DFS users building lineups this week for the no-cut event at ACCORDIA GOLF Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan.

Remember, because of the time zone difference this event will begin Wednesday night for American audiences. So don’t be late in setting your lineups!

Let’s take a look at the players to consider this week from a DFS perspective, with a choice at the top focused on which two-time major champ you’re looking to back:

DraftKings – top of the board

Xander Schauffele ($11,500): The Californian will look to hit the podium for the first time in his fifth visit to Japan. Twice cashing in the top 10, his best finish of T9 was in the 2022 tournament. The winner of the PGA Championship and The Open Championship in 2024 also ran riot with a 4-1-0 record at the Presidents Cup. Already a gold medal winner in Japan in 2021, his DFS average is 17 points greater than his nearest competitor on TOUR.

Collin Morikawa ($10,500): Outside of the major championships, there are few instances where the defending champion, especially of this quality, is not at the top of the board. Blowing away the field by six shots in 2023, Morikawa returns to the site of his last victory on TOUR. Cashing in 19 of 21 starts, he eats par-4 holes for breakfast and sits in the top five in SG: Total. The Californian will remind you he posted the lowest gross total at the TOUR Championship in his most recent stroke-play start.

Overvalued or undervalued?

Max Greyserman ($8,700): Attached to the 13th-highest salary figure this week, the former Duke Blue Devil is making his tournament debut. After finishing solo second at the 3M Open and Wyndham Championship to force his way into the top 50 in the FedExCup standings, he is securely in the big-time events for 2025. An excellent putter, this week I’m leaning on tee-to-green stars halfway across the world on a course few have seen frequently.

Doug Ghim ($8,600): After finishing solo second for his best result in four years on the PGA TOUR, I will ride the momentum of the former Texas Longhorn across the Pacific. The 28-year-old is trending in the FedExCup Fall, No. 70 in points, and another big week could push him inside The Aon Next 10 (Nos. 51-60 at season’s end get spots in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Genesis Invitational). On his second visit to the suburb of Tokyo, he returns with a fantastic ball-striking foundation and a point of reference.

Makers or breakers

Hideki Matsuyama ($10,200): Make room because plenty will join in on rostering the man who has won and finished second on this track. Healthy and already a winner twice in 2024, the local star is either a fade or follow in his backyard.

Beau Hossler ($8,900): I think this price tag might scare a few investors away, but not me. Playing for the third consecutive season, the California native has never posted a round above 70. Conversely, he’s never posted a round better than 70 on Sunday in his paydays (T2 and T16). After three events in the FedExCup Fall, he sits at No. 65 in points and has a 51-under-par aggregate.

Max Homa ($8,200): No, that’s not a mistyped number. Without securing a top-10 payday on TOUR since May, the six-time winner has not pocketed a top-25 result since June. Be careful. In 2019, the last time he visited, he cashed T46.

Andrew Putnam ($7,900): Sharing second in 2023 in his third visit, the 35-year-old veteran has produced five consecutive rounds of 69 or better, including 62, at Narashino. Closing with 64 last week in Las Vegas, the Washington state native won’t mind a week on Bent grass from tee to green.

Gary Woodland ($7,800): I’m going to try and beat the crowd to the front of the line on the former U.S. Open champion. Since missing the cut at Silverado (Procore Championship), he’s bounced back with T16 at the Sanderson Farms Championship and T9 last week at the Shriners Children’s Open. Morikawa only hit 19 fairways in victory in 2023 (T67) but was T3 for GIR. Woodland has no problem knocking it around and is in form.

Ryo Hisatsune ($7,300): The 22-year-old from Okayama, eight hours from Tokyo, won’t have the local following, but he has plenty of experience on this track and in this part of the world. Earning his PGA TOUR card last year, he has locked up playing privileges for 2025 (No. 84) already and can look to improve on his finishes of T52 (2021), T12 (2022) and T6 (2023) in his fourth visit.

Adam Schenk ($6,700): Digging deeper into the field this week, the Indiana man has posted 12 of 16 rounds at par or better in Japan, including nine loops in red figures. A quick look at his recent form suggests this is a stretch, but he closed 9-under in his last 54 holes in Las Vegas. I doubt he would be making the trip if he wasn’t feeling 72 holes halfway across the world.

Satoshi Kodaira ($6,000): The sponsor exemption loves this layout, and the price works in a no-cut event. Cashing T12 in 2023 and T16 in 2022, he has never missed the event and knows his way around this track. Hey, everybody needs a longshot!

The lineup

Here’s a look at how I would devise a six-team roster this week while staying below the $50,000 salary cap offered for DraftKings contests.

• Collin Morikawa ($10,500)
• Hideki Matsuyama ($10,200)
• Beau Hossler ($8,900)
• Ryo Hisatsune ($7,300)
• Adam Schenk ($6,700)
• Satoshi Kodaira ($6,000)

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