The PGA Tour crosses the Pacific, and the field is bolstered by betting favorites in the ZOZO Championship odds: Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, and Hideki Matsuyama.
While Morikawa returns to defend last year’s win, and Matsuyama won in 2021, our top golf picks are looking a little further down the golf odds for this week’s ZOZO Championship.
Best ZOZO Championship picks
- Kityama to win outright (+2,800 at bet365)
- Hossler to win outright (+3,500 at Caesars)
- Kanaya Top 30 (+110 at DraftKings)
- Fishburn Top 30 (-110 at DraftKings)
- Thomas Over 2.5 bogeys in Round 1 (+100 at bet365)
ZOZO Championship outright picks
Pick to win: Kurt Kitayama
+2,800 at bet365
It’s been a ball-striking clinic from Kurt Kitayama the past two weeks, with ranks of second and first in true strokes gained tee-to-green. Unfortunately, he’s lost true strokes on the greens in both events, so he hasn’t fully capitalized with his T25 at the Black Desert Championship and a T9 at the Shriners.
He has a PGA Tour victory and two more DP World Tour wins on his resume, so if the putter heats up and the ball-striking wizardry continues this week, he’ll be on the Sunday leaderboard. He had a solid T16 finish here last year, too.
Sleeper pick to win: Beau Hossler
+3,500 at FanDuel
Beau Hossler checks the current form and course history boxes with three consecutive Top 25s, including a solo second at the Sanderson Farms and a T2 and T16 in his two trips to the ZOZO.
He’s gained true strokes across the board across his past three events and ranks 10th in this field in tee-to-green play and eighth in putting. I also value that he’s played all eight of his rounds at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club at par or better for a combined 16-under score.
As a result, I also like Hossler to make Under 2.5 bogeys in Round 1, which is priced at +100 through bet365. He’s had two or fewer squares on the card in five of eight rounds the past two years, and his current form gives me confidence he’ll improve to six of nine on Thursday.
ZOZO Championship prop picks
Finishing position pick: Takumi Kanaya Top 30
+110 at DraftKings
This will be the fourth trip to the ZOZO for Takumi Kanaya, and he’s played the weekend in each of his first three visits with aT7-T53-T31 runs. I’m most encouraged about his current form on the Japan Golf Tour, though.
He has a pair of wins this season and has sandwiched his most recent victory with a solo second and solo fourth across his past three events. The heater has him second on the money list, and he paces the circuit in scoring average, greens-in-regulation percentage, and par-or-better percentage.
With six additional OWGR victories, a flier on Kanaya to win outright at +10,000 through FanDuel is worth a sprinkle, too. He’s trading as short as +7,000 through bet365, after all.
Finishing position pick: Patrick Fishburn Top 30
-110 at DraftKings
Rewind two months and Patrick Fishburn was receiving endless positive ink — and for good reason. He has a trio of Top 10s with two more Top 25s while playing the weekend in seven of his past 10 PGA Tour events.
Still, I’m most encouraged by him gaining true strokes on approach during his T34 at the Shriners, and I’m expecting another solid showing this week in Japan. He's 15th in this field from tee-to-green and 20th in putting. It’s the recipe for success.
ZOZO Championship first-round pick
Round 1 pick: Justin Thomas Over 2.5 bogeys
+100 at bet365
Justin Thomas has lost true strokes on the greens in three consecutive events and in nine of his past 14 tournaments to rank 54th in this field in putting. He’s fifth in true strokes gained tee-to-green, including ranking No. 1 in the field in true strokes gained around-the-green, but I’m expecting his putting letting him down again Thursday.
This will be his first event since East Lake, and it’s also just his second trip to the ZOZO. He carded 3+ bogeys in two of his four rounds here in 2020, and he’s also 78th on Tour in bogey avoidance. Add ranking 158th in driving accuracy, and I’m anticipating the recent lack of competitive play and poor putting to lead to some more squares on his Thursday card.
ZOZO Championship odds
- Xander Schauffele: +450
- Collin Morikawa: +650
- Hideki Matsuyama: +750
- Sungjae Im: +1,400
- Sahith Theegala: +1,800
- Justin Thomas: +2,000
- Kurt Kitayama: +2,200
- Min Woo Lee: +2,800
Odds courtesy of DraftKings.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
