After a scintillating CJ Cup last weekend, the PGA Tour action continues this weekend, as the Zozo Championship is staged. It will be a special occasion for Japanese fans, as the competition moves back to its original home having been played in the United States 12 months ago due to the COVID pandemic.
Zozo Championship Details
This will only be the third time that the Zozo Championship has taken place. Players involved in the event play across 7,011 yards, with the Narashino Country Club having a par 70 for this event. Both PGA Tour and Japan Golf Tour players will be involved in the competition this weekend.
The best score for this event was recorded in 2019, as Tiger Woods equalled the record for all-time PGA Tour victories. Woods ended with an aggregate score of 261. Meanwhile, last year’s champion Patrick Cantlay ended with the best par score, finishing 23 under. This year’s event will be the most lucrative, as a purse of $9,950.000 is available to players, which is slightly higher than the purse that was available in 2019.
Players In Contention
Xander Schauffele is the player at the top of the betting with BetXchange, as the American is a 13/2 chance. He has won six professional events throughout his career, with four of those victories coming on the PGA Tour. His most recent success can in January of 2019, as he won the Sentry Tournament of Champions by one shot from Gary Woodland. His form this season has also been strong, and he comes into this event having won a competition in Japan already this season, as he won Olympic gold in August at Kasumigaseki Country Club.
Hideki Matsuyama also ranks high in the betting markets for this weekend, as he competes in his fourth event of the 2022 PGA Tour. He will have home advantage this weekend, but will be hoping for a slightly better performance than he has managed most recently. He finished in a tie for 59th at the CJ Cup last weekend, and was back in a tie for 67th the week before that at the Shriner Children’s Open. However, his tie for sixth at the Fortinet Championship in September does highlight that he could be in a strong position coming into this event.
Will Zalatoris, Paul Casey and Tommy Fleetwood are three other players at the top end of the betting with BetXchange. Fleetwood could be set to improve after finishing in a tie for 38th at the CJ Cup last weekend, while Casey returned after being cut at the Shriners Children’s Open to finish in a tie for 25th at last weekend’s event.
Zozo Championship Prediction
Collin Morikawa is our pick for the event this weekend. The two-time major winner is looking for a sixth professional win in two years, and has been in excellent form over the last couple of months. He was a pivotal member of the Ryder Cup-winning team, and was in contention until the closing stages of the CJ Cup last weekend, before settling for second, as Rory McIlroy won the event.
