There's a break from the norm with this week's FedEx Cup Fall event as the PGA Tour's only visit to Japan takes place at Narashino Country Club for the Zozo Championship.
The format also differs from other FedEx Cup Fall tournaments, with a field of just 78 competing, while there will not be a cut.
In the previous five editions of the Zozo Championship, some of the world's best players have competed and this year's event is no different, with American Major winners headlining a strong field.
One of those is defending champion Collin Morikawa, who ended a trophy drought in style, cruising to a six-shot win in 2023 and he will be looking for a repeat in his first start since helping the US to victory in the Presidents Cup.
Other huge names in the field include World No.2 Xander Schauffele, who won two of this year's four Majors, and two-time PGA Champion Justin Thomas. Local star Hideki Matsuyama, who won the Zozo Championship three years ago, also plays.
In this article, a handful of the Golf Monthly team will share their favorite and outside picks for the 2024 Zozo Championship as they consider whether one of the field's big guns will lift the trophy...
Zozo Championship Golf Betting Preview 2024: The Course
Narashino Country Club will play as a 7,079-yard par-70 this week, with five par-3s and three par-5s - including the uphill 608-yard 14th.
After opening in 1965, the course has had a long history of hosting professional golf tournaments, beginning with the 1968 Japan PGA Championship, while it has been the venue for the Zozo Championship in four of the five editions since the tournament began in 2019 (the 2020 event was held at Sherwood Country Club in California because of the Covid-19 pandemic).
One of the most striking features about the course is that, like many in Japan, each hole has two greens, which enables players to use the course year-round as the weather changes. However, in each year the tournament has been held at the course so far, only one of the holes has had both greens in use.
The layout features nine holes each from the King Course and Queen Course, and it's noticeable how short the par-3s are (the 13th is just 141 yards). While the par-3s may be short, the par-4s are long (including the 490-yard 12th and 491-yard 17th) and in 2023, they generally proved the most difficult. Small bentgrass greens will be the order of the day, with Zoysia fairways and rough.
In the previous four editions held at the course, scoring has ranged between the 14-under of Collin Morikawa's six-shot win last year to the 19-under achieved by Tiger Woods in the inaugural edition in 2019, when he won his 82nd PGA Tour title to tie Sam Snead's record.
Zozo Championship Previous Winners
Zozo Championship Betting Odds
The odds to win outright are via FanDuel Sportsbook
- Xander Schauffele (+450)
- Collin Morikawa (+650)
- Hideki Matsuyama (+750)
- Sungjae Im (+1400)
- Sahith Theegala (+1800)
- Justin Thomas (+2000)
- Kurt Kitayama (+2200)
- Min Woo Lee (+2800)
- Beau Hossler (+3500)
- Will Zalatoris (+3500)
- Si Woo Kim (+3500)
- Maverick McNealy (+4000)
- Doug Ghim (+4000)
- J.J. Spaun (+4500)
- Seamus Power (+5000)
- Tom Hoge (+5000)
- Max Homa (+5000)
- Eric Cole (+5500)
- Max Greyserman (+5500)
- Patrick Rodgers (+6000)
- Taylor Moore (+6000)
- Sam Stevens (+6000)
- Harry Hall (+6000)
- Jhonattan Vegas (+6500)
- Rico Hoey (+6500)
Zozo Championship Betting Picks
FAVORITE: Sungjae Im (+1400)
The winner of this event is likely to come from the top of the odds board, but while I really like Xander Schauffele, I can't take him at his current price. Instead, I am going to side with Sungjae Im.
The South Korean has played well at this event in the past, finishing third in 2020 and 12th on his most recent visit. He finished the previous PGA Tour season off well, with back-to-back top-11 finishes in the final two play-off events, and ranks 16th for par-5 birdie or better percentage. That will be important here, considering there are five of them, and I believe he is perfectly primed to pick up a third PGA Tour win.
OUTSIDER: K.H. Lee (+9000)
Fresh off the back of an impressive top-five finish at the Shriners Children's Open last weekend, K.H Lee looks like a great value each-way play this week. His high price immediately caught my eye, and when I looked deeper into his course form, I couldn't resist adding him to my betting card.
This week's venue uses Zoysia grass, and while some players struggle on this type of surface, Lee seems to thrive. He won both his PGA Tour titles at a venue where Zoysia is used, and I have a sneaky feeling he could make a strong bid to add another this week.
FAVORITE: Hideki Matsuyama (+750)
Although Matsuyama hasn't featured in competitive action since the Tour Championship in August, the Japanese star was in fine form before then, claiming victory at the FedEx St Jude Championship and finishing in a tie for ninth at the season finale, with his final round being a four-under 67.
Returning to home soil, there will obviously be pressure on Matsuyama but, back in 2021, he won this event at the same course, so he has good history here. What's more, having rested for a few months, he will hopefully be over the injury troubles and be back to full fitness which, if so, means he is going to be dangerous at Narashino Country Club.
OUTSIDER: Ryo Ishikawa (+40000)
Admittedly, this is a rather big punt, but hear me out! At last year's event, Ishikawa finished in a tie for fourth and, going into the Zozo Championship, the 33-year-old is in not bad form following a tie for eighth at the Japan Open just a few weeks ago.
I understand that this is a PGA Tour event and another level, but Ishikawa is extremely experienced and has done it plenty of times before. Also, in June 2024, he won the Japan Players Championship, as well having a runner-up finish and a tie for fifth just before that so, if you are searching for an each-way bet, I'd opt for looking at the 19-time Japan Golf Tour winner.
FAVORITE: Collin Morikawa (+650)
Funnily enough, I think the bookmakers might not be far off, having listed Morikawa as second favorite behind Xander Schauffele. If you're looking for value in a bet, this might not exactly be it. However, I really can't see past Morikawa to defend his title.
The course suits him down to the ground (quite literally), he was in scintillating form before the PGA Tour season ended, plus he is a brilliant iron player - a key facet any winner must have given Narashino Country Club's unique layout.
OUTSIDER: Takumi Kanaya (+10000)
As I like to say, form is form. The Japan Golf Tour pro is coming into the Zozo off the back of a fourth, a win, and a second just before that. Although this is a step up, the man who sits second on the JGT's all-time money list has performed here before so knows this course and how to mix it up with the big boys.
In four previous appearances, he has one top-10 and ended last year in T31st. Very much a long shot to win, but it's not out of the question that Kanaya relives his T7th in 2021 with another decent result this year.
How To Watch The Zozo Championship
USA (ET)
- Wednesday, October 23 - Round One: 11:00pm - 3:00am (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)
- Thursday, October 24 - Round Two: 11:00pm - 3:00am (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)
- Friday, October 25 - Round Three: 11:00pm - 3:00am (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)App)
- Saturday, October 24 - Round Four: 11:00pm - 3:00am (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)
UK (BST)
- Thursday, October 24 - Round One: 4:00am - 8:00am (Sky Sports Golf)
- Friday, October 25 - Round Two: 4:00am - 8:00am (Sky Sports Golf)
- Saturday, October 26 - Round Three: 4:00am - 8:00am (Sky Sports Golf)
- Sunday, October 27 - Round Four: 3:00am - 7:00am (Sky Sports Golf)
