Horses For Courses: Ball strikers please apply at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP

For the fourth time in the last five years the PGA TOUR returns to the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan for the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP.

The Par 70 layout, designed in 1965 by Kinya Fujita, will play to 7,079 yards, as it did for the 2022 edition. The course features five par 3s and three par 5s and each hole has two green complexes. This Japanese course design tradition is prevalent, but only the Bentgrass versions are in play this week.

Keegan Bradley leads the field of 78 as he returns to defend his championship. John Huh, not entered this week, set the course record in October 2022 when he posted 61 in Round 2. Tiger Woods, also not playing this week, owns the tournament scoring record. Posting 27 birdies, seven more than any player in the field, he won the inaugural event in 2019 by three shots on 19-under 261.

The three champions in Woods, local favorite Hideki Matsuyama, and Bradley all prevailed thanks to supreme ball striking.

Horses for Courses

Keegan Bradley (+2200):

After a T13 on debut and T7 in his second attempt, the third time was a charm. Posting four rounds in the 60s, the former PGA Champion came from behind to win by a shot. Signing for rounds in the 60s in nine of 12 loops, 63 posted in Round 2 in 2019 is his best. Turning up the heat, he posted 65 or 66 in four of his last five. Tight driving conditions and small targets on approach fit his ball-striking skill set. The defending champion is one of three players in the field this week to post multiple top 10 paydays.

Hideki Matsuyama (+1600):

Finishing second to Woods by three shots on 16-under in the 2019 edition, the local star cleared third place by three shots. Backing up his solo second, he posted 15-under and blew the field away, winning by five, when the event returned to Japan in 2021. Looking to cash three podium finishes from three visits, the Masters champion opened with 71, ending his streak of rounds in the 60s at 12, and eventually finished T40.

Xander Schauffele (+700):

The favorite at the BetMGM Sportsbook will look to add his third top 10 paycheck in four starts at Narashino Country Club. The 2021 Olympic champion on Kinya Fujita’s Kasumigaseki Country Club joins Bradley and Matsuyama as the only players in the field of 78 this week with multiple top 10 finishes. Posting T10 on debut included three rounds in the 60s. A closing 65 last October saw him rack up four total in the 60s and cashing T9. Posting red figures in his last six loops, he will look to extend his streak this week.

Oddsmaker's Extra

Rickie Fowler (+1600): Leading after Round 2 and Round 3 last October, Fowler posted 70 in the final round and lost by a shot. After not breaking par over four rounds in his first visit, he opened 67-63-66 to secure his place in the final group with Keegan Bradley. Ranking in the top 10 in GIR and Putts, he also led the field in birdies with 21.

Sungjae Im (+1400): The Korean posted 13-under in 2019 and shared third before returning last October and collecting T29. Opening with 71 (+1) in both his appearances, slow starts have forced him to play catch-up. Closing with 65 and 66 suggests that he can.

Emiliano Grillo (+5000): Whatever the Argentine discovered in his final two rounds of the 2022 edition should be bottled and sold. Finishing almost dead last in the 2021 edition, the 2023 winner at Colonial closed 65-64 for solo fourth in 2022. Hitting 57 of 72 GIR (2nd) and 35 of 52 Fairways (T8) allowed his putter to circle 13 birdies on the weekend against only two bogeys.

Tom Hoge (+5500): After signing for T17 on debut with two rounds in the 60s in 2021, the North Dakota native shoved his way into the top 10 (T9) on his next visit. Rounds of 66-65-69 capped off seven straight efforts at 70 or better and counting.

-Odds courtesy of BETMGM.COM-

The PGA TOUR is committed to protecting our fans. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, the National Council on Problem Gambling operates a confidential toll-free hotline that you can reach by phone or text at 1-800-522-4700.