ZOZO Championship: Betting tips, odds and predictions as PGA Tour heads to Japan

The PGA Tour is headed back to Asia for the first time since 2019 after the pandemic turned the world on its head. 

There is a strong field making the long trip over that includes Collin Morikawa who couldn't defeat Rory McIlroy in the Las Vegas desert at the CJ Cup at Summit. 

Xander Schauffele, Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood are pegging it up alongside Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama who will no doubt get a hero's welcome. Rickie Fowler will also make his debut in front of the Japanese fans. 

Matsuyama is the winningest Japanese golfer of all time with six wins that included his glorious Augusta National triumph. 

There will of course be no Tiger Woods who won this championship in 2019 and is still recovering from his car crash. 

They are playing at the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club which is a par-70 layout playing at 7,041 yards. 

The reigning champion is Patrick Cantlay, who overcame a four-stroke deficit through 54 holes which was played at the Sherwood Country Club in the United States. 

Five s in 11 holes.



Tiger leads the Zozo Championship by four.

pic.twitter.com/JtHpL5IsY4

— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) October 27, 2019

Let's take a look at the field and their selected odds: 

Collin Morikawa 5/1

Xander Schauffele 6/1

Hideki Matsuyama 14/1

Will Zalatoris 18/1

Paul Casey 20/1

Tommy Fleetwood 25/1

Joaquin Niemann 30/1

Rickie Fowler 33/1

Maverick McNealy 35/1

Si Woo Kim 35/1 

Alex Noren 35/1

Keegan Bradley 35/1

Jhonattan Vegas 40/1

Cameron Tringale 45/1

Erik van Rooyen 45/1

Chris Kirk  50/1

Emiliano Grillo 50/1

Charley Hoffman 55/1

Mackenzie Hughes 55/1

Branden Grace 60/1

Takumi Kanaya 66/1

Peter Malnati 140/1

Wesley Bryan 140/1

Here are our betting tips: 

Collin Morikawa 5/1

In this young man's case the head and the heart say Morikawa. He's in glistening form. He carried his glistening Ryder Cup form through to the CJ Cup at Summit in Las Vegas and carded his lowest ever round on the PGA Tour with a Sunday 62. His price doesn't represent great value, though. 

Rickie Fowler 33/1

Fowler has been down in the doldrums for the past 18 months. But after visiting his old swing guru Butch Harmon he's rediscovered his form and proved in Las Vegas that it wasn't just a flash in the pan. On his third round he found all 18 greens in regulation. 

Paul Casey 20/1

Casey is a bit of an outsider but has performed well at this course in the past. He tied for 17th last time out when Tiger Woods claimed the title. He's been playing well on the PGA Tour and the tight course will suit his game. 

RELATED: SELF-REFLECTIVE MCILROY ADMITS "BEING ME IS ENOUGH"

RELATED: WHO IS RICKIE FOWLER'S WIFE ALLISON STOKKIE?

MORE: ARE YOU ALLOWED TO USE A GOLF CLUB TO REPLACE FLAGSTICK?

MORE: FORMER PGA TOUR PRO HAS LEG AMPUTATION

NOW WATCH: GOLFER SUFFERS PAINFUL DRIVING RANGE ACCIDENT