ZOZO Championship: Betting Tips, TV Times

Betting Tips and how to watch the inaugural ZOZO Championship this week in Japan

The PGA Tour heads to Chiba, Japan this week for the second event of the Asia Swing, marking a big moment as the ZOZO Championship becomes the first ever tournament sanctioned by the PGA Tour in Japan.

MGM Resorts The Challenge: Japan Skins on Monday marked the introduction to Accordia Golf Narashino CC, host of the inaugural ZOZO Championship this week, where Jason Day triumphed over Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Hideki Mastuyama.

For the second week in a row, the field is restricted to just 78 players, and features 11 of the World’s top 20 players. One of those is Justin Thomas, who claimed his 11^th PGA Tour title last week with his second victory at the CJ Cup at Nine Bridges in three years.

There’s a lot on line for the likes of Jordan Spieth, who needs to make the most of the next two weeks if he wants a chance (however unlikely it is) at making USA Captain Tiger Woods’ Presidents Cup squad… and he’s not the only one. 

Woods himself needs to perform well to justify picking himself, while other players in the field – US Open Champion Gary Woodland, Tony Finau, Patrick Reed, Kevin Kisner and even the likes of Collin Morikawa – are vying for the Captain’s attention ahead of his four wildcard picks on November 4. 

Date: Oct 24- 27
Course: Accordia Golf Narashino CC (Opened in 1965)
Par: 70 | 7,041 yards
FedEx Cup Points: 500
Prize Fund: $9,750,000

TV Times: ZOZO Championship

• Thursday: Sky Sports Golf (04:00), Sky Sports Main Event (04:00) 

• Friday: Sky Sports Golf (04:00), Sky Sports Main Event (05:00)

• Saturday: Sky Sports Golf (03:30)

• Sunday: Sky Sports Golf (03:30), Sky Sports Main Event (03:30)

ZOZO Championship: Betting Tips

Justin Thomas: 6/1
Thomas claimed last week’s CJ Cup for the second time in three years, and is playing as well as anyone right now: The World No.4 hasn’t finished worse than T12 in his last eight starts, and that includes last week’s win and his victory at the BMW Championship. Last season he ranked 1^st for birdie average, 2^nd SG: Approach and SG: Tee to green, 5^th scoring average, 6^th GIR and 8^th for SG: Around the green.

Rory McIlroy: 8/1
McIlroy returns to the PGA Tour this week for the first time since his victory at the Tour Championship, having recorded two top 10s and a T26 on the European Tour. Finished tied second with Tiger Woods in The Challenge on Monday behind Jason Day. Ranked 1^st for scoring average, SG: Off the tee and SG: Tee to green last season, in addition to 12^th for SG: Approach, 19^th SG: Around the green and 24^th for SG: Putting.

Hideki Mastuyama: 16/1
Mastuyama’s 3^rd place finish in last week’s CJ Cup was one of two top 10s in his last five starts, which also includes a T12 at the Tour Championship and T16 at the Shriners. Was fourth in The Challenge. Ranked 3^rd SG: Tee to green, 5^th SG: Approach, 7^th birdie average and 12^th for both Scoring average and SG: Around the green last season.

Adam Scott: 22/1
This might be a new event, but Adam Scott decided to head to Japan early and finished T5 in the Japan Open Golf Championship last week. It followed a T17 and T42 in his first two starts of the new PGA Tour season at the Safeway and Shriners, after ending the final events of the FedEx cup with three consecutive top 10s. Ranked inside the top 10 last season for Scoring average, Birdie average, SG: Tee to green, SG: Approach the green and SG: Around the green.

Jordan Spieth: 25/1
Spieth picked up where he left off last season during his first start for seven weeks with an excellent putting performance and another brilliant second-round to finish T8 – his second top 10 in his last three starts. Will be hoping to carry momentum after a disappointing 2018/19. Last season he ranked 1^st for second round scoring average, 2^nd for SG: putting, 9^th for 1^st round scoring average and 10^th for birdie average.

Paul Casey: 25/1
Although he missed his last cut at the Italian Open, Casey finished third at the Tour Championship before his victory at the Porsche European Open, and followed it with a T11 at the European Tour’s flagship event: The BMW PGA Championship. Last season ranked 4^th GIR, 6^th SG: Tee to green, 8^th SG: Approach and 9^th for both scoring average and SG: Off the tee.

Tommy Fleetwood: 25/1
Following a T13 at the Tour Championship, Fleetwood played three events on the European Tour (T8-T60-T5) before returning to the PGA Tour at last week’s CJ Cup, where he finished T20. Ranked 8^th scoring average, 12^th SG: Off the tee, 13^th SG: Tee to green and 15^th SG: Around the green.

Tony Finau: 25/1
Four top 10s in his last five starts, which includes a T10 at the Alfred Dunhill Links and a T9 in his first start of the PGA Tour season at the Shriner Hospitals for Chilrden Open a couple of weeks ago. Ranked 15^th Scoring average, 21^st SG: Tee to green and 23^rd SG: Off the tee last season.

Viktor Hovland: 28/1
Hovland grabbed plenty of the headlines last week when he broke the long standing PGA Tour scoring record for consecutive rounds in the 60s following back-to-back 69s at the CJ Cup. He finished T31, which was the first time he’s been outside the top 16 anywhere in his last nine starts. Ranks 10^th scoring average, 16^th GIR, 17^th SG: Approach, 21^st birdie average, 23^rd SG: Putting and 25^th SG: Tee to green.

Ryan Moore: 50/1
Started the new season with a MC but since finished T13 at the Shriners and was T8 last week on JeJu Island. Ranked 2^nd for driving accuracy last season, 16^th for SG: Approach the green and 28^th for SG: Tee to green.

Kevin Kisner: 80/1
He might be making his first start of the new season, but Kisner finished the FedEx Cup strongly with T9s at both the BMW Championship and Tour Championship, and a T12 at The Northern Trust. Ranked 15^th driving accuracy, 20^th SG: Putting and 20^th for scoring average last year.