.png "The ZOZO Championship Golf Matchups")
Travel restrictions were relaxed enough to allow the PGA Tour to return to Japan for the third playing of the ZOZO Championship, taking place this week at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club. COVID forced the tournament to relocate to Southern California last year with Patrick Cantlay toppling the field. With the previous two winners not in action we are guaranteed a new champion and oddsmakers like Xander Schauffele, who returns to Japan just a few months after winning gold in the golf competition at the Tokyo Olympics. Another player high up the odds board is Masters champ and Japan’s own Hideki Matsuyama. The field isn’t as strong as the first two editions, but a few big name players show up on the matchup odds. Be sure to visit BookMaker.eu for a complete list of matchup betting odds when you’re ready to place a wager.
ZOZO Championship Matchup Odds
Xander Schauffele -146 vs. Collin Morikawa +116
Xander Schauffele -170 vs. Hideki Matsuyama +135
Collin Morikawa -138 vs. Hideki Matsuyama +108
Will Zalatoris -139 vs. Tommy Fleetwood +109
Joaquin Niemann -157 vs. Rickie Fowler +125
Joaquin Niemann -163 vs. Si Woo Kim +130
Rickie Fowler -119 vs. Si Woo Kim -111
Maverick McNealy -129 vs. Alex Noren -101
Maverick McNealy -129 vs. Jhonattan Vegas -101
Alex Noren -117 vs. Jhonattan Vegas -113
Erik Van Rooyen -114 vs. Emiliano Grillo -116
Erik Van Rooyen +100 vs. Cameron Tringale -130
Emiliano Grillo -101 vs. Cameron Tringale -129
Charley Hoffman -104 vs. Carlos Ortiz -126
Kyung Hoon Lee -140 vs. C.T. Pan +110
Lanto Griffin -123 vs. Adam Schenk -107
Ryan Palmer +113 vs. Chris Kirk -143
Matt Wallace -108 vs. Mackenzie Hughes -122
Takumi Kanaya +105 vs. Doug Ghim -135
Branden Grace -140 vs. Garrick Higgo +110
Luke List -118 vs. Harry Higgs -112
Henrik Norlander +118 vs. Sebastian Munoz -148
Brendon Todd -127 vs. Pat Perez -103
Tom Hoge -111 vs. Brendan Steele -1190
Roger Sloan +131 vs. Matthew Jones -164
Troy Merritt -106 vs. Robert Streb -124
Andrew Putnam -134 vs. Doc Redman +104
Chan Kim -156 vs. Sung Hoon Kang +124
Shugo Imahira +137 vs. Chesson Hadley -172
Kyle Stanley -110 vs. Matthew Nesmith -120
Sepp Straka +107 vs. Brandon Hagy -137
Wyndham Clark -163 vs. Sam Ryder +130
Adam Long -117 vs. James Hahn -113
Need to Know
The Championship Course at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club returns as host after a one-year absence. The traditional Japanese style layout features tree-lined fairways and several doglegs but otherwise is a straight forward track that plays a short 7,041 yards at par 70. The field will consist of up to 78 golfers with several exemptions for Japan Golf Tour members. And much like last week there is no cut so every golfer is guaranteed four rounds. Only a handful of players were here two years ago with Tiger Woods posting his record-tying 82nd Tour win by shooting 19-under. Every hole on the course has two greens, which might confuse some viewers not familiar with this layout. Hopefully the players don’t get confused, but they are allowed a free drop should they pinpoint the wrong landing spot.
ZOZO Championship Matchup Picks
Rickie Fowler +125 vs. Joaquin Niemann
Fowler was looking like the Rickie of old taking the lead through 54 holes at the CJ CUP. His inability to put four strong rounds together cost him again, but having three good rounds is an improvement. It’s not as though he pissed down his leg at The Summit Club, but scoring a 71 didn’t get it done. Otherwise his game was strong and Fowler looked confident. I’m counting on that momentum carrying over and like the price.
Jhonattan Vegas -101 vs. Maverick McNealy
I’m always looking for value and even though Vegas has negative odds the price is still within my range. He doesn’t get a lot of notoriety on the circuit since he hasn’t broken the upper crust of players, but Vegas has been remarkably consistent for nearly a year with his tee-to-green play a big reason why. And he’ll use that as a weapon this week to prevail in this matchup.
Harry Higgs -112 vs. Luke List
With booming drives all the rage in golf now, it’s comforting to know there are some players who put more value on their short game and putting. After all you drive for show and putt for dough, as the old saying goes. Accordia certainly qualifies as a short course giving Higgs an advantage in this matchup and I’ll throw down on him even at his price.
C.T. Pan +110 vs. Kyung Hoon Lee
Pan is one of a handful of players that took on Accordia in 2019 and he should be better prepared for it. He barely cracked the top-60 back then but he’s another player like Higgs who excels in the short game. And again, this is a short course. Unlike two years ago Pan has some steam behind him with a T6-T11 start to the season. He also had a nice weekend at the Olympic competition claiming the bronze medal.
Collin Morikawa +116 vs. Xander Schauffele
I might regret going against the X-man in this matchup, but the price for a star like Morikawa is too good to pass up. He’s another player that made the trip to Chibu in 2019 navigating the layout to a T22 finish. And he may have found his stroke just in time if that closing 62 at The Summit Club last week is any indication.
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