Through three events of the 2022-23 PGA Tour season, golf fans have been spoiled with late-tournament theatrics. Dramatic 72nd-hole victories from Max Homa and Tom Kim have been accompanied by a playoff triumph from Mackenzie Hughes in the first month of action. The 2022 Zozo Championship will look to follow suit this week in Chiba, Japan, where native son Hideki Matsuyama claimed the title a season ago.
Matsuyama will look to successfully defend his Zozo Championship crown and is featured near the top of the odds board, though he is not the golfer leading the pack. That honor goes to Xander Schauffele as the Olympic gold medalist arrives off a strong Presidents Cup performance and returns to the country where he donned the Olympic gold medal two summers ago.
Matsuyama and Schauffele are joined by 76 other players as the Zozo Championship features a limited field and no cut. Collin Morikawa, Cameron Young and Viktor Hovland are all set to make their season debuts in Japan while Sungjae Im and Tom Kim return to Asia with eyes on keeping their momentum rolling.
A number of Japan Golf Tour Organization members will also be participating in the Zozo Championship, making for an eclectic group of players vying for the trophy come Sunday.
Let's take a closer look at this week's 2022 Zozo Championship with odds provided via Caesars Sportsbook.
Event Information
Event: 2022 Zozo Championship | Dates: Oct. 13-16
Location: Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club -- Chiba, Japan
Par: 70 | Yardage: 7,041 | Purse: $11,000,000
2022 Zozo Championship field, odds
- Xander Schauffele (8-1): He shook the reputation of not being able to close in 2021-22 with three victories in a seven-tournament stretch. Experiencing a strong FedEx Cup postseason that saw him fall short to Patrick Cantlay at the BMW Championship and place solo fourth at the Tour Championship, Schauffele carried this form into a nice showing at the 2022 Presidents Cup. There are zero flaws in the world No. 6's game, and these limited field, no-cut events have been his bread and butter throughout his career.
- Sungjae Im (10-1)
- Hideki Matsuyama (14-1): The man from Japan boasts a runner-up and a victory at Narashino CC in his two showings at the course. Matsuyama was last seen at the 2022 Presidents Cup where he experienced moments of despair and jubilation alongside his teammates at Quail Hollow Club. The 30-year-old has always been extremely underrated around-the-green, and based on his recent play, his putter may finally be catching up which spells trouble for the rest of the field.
- Tom Kim (14-1)
- Cameron Young (14-1): The presumed PGA Tour Rookie of the Year from 2021-22 will enter the winner's circle this season. Collecting seven podium finishes in his freshman campaign, the Wake Forest product also experienced his first team event at the 2022 Presidents Cup. His length will allow him to attack the three par 5s and quirky mix of par 4s at Narashino CC, most likely propelling his name onto the first page of the leaderboard.
- Collin Morikawa (14-1): Last season has to be considered a disappointment for the two-time major champion as he was unable to raise a single trophy. Nearly becoming world No. 1 with a win at the Hero World Challenge, Morikawa battled COVID-19 in the early parts of 2022 and was unable to find his patented fade with his irons. He rediscovered his swing in the late summer, and the approach metrics began to mirror that of peak Morikawa. This should lead to a memorable year with multiple victories, and no one should be surprised if that begins this week in his season debut.
- Viktor Hovland (18-1): Not much has been heard from Hovland since trotting alongside Rory McIlroy in the final pairing at the 150th Open. Ultimately finishing T4 at the Old Course, the young Norwegian has continued to quietly play some solid golf. Hovland is coming off a T5 effort at the BMW PGA Championship and a T34 at the Italian Open on the DP World Tour. He is putting the lights out of the golf ball, and his short game is showing steady improvement -- which was very much needed.
- Tyrrell Hatton (22-1)
- Corey Conners (25-1)
- Tommy Fleetwood (25-1)
2022 Zozo Championship picks
| Winner (22-1): Hatton is without a worldwide victory in nearly two years but should thrive in his debut appearance at Narashino CC. The Englishman is one of the best short-game players in the world, and his recent play on the DP World Tour and PGA Tour is ultra encouraging. He arrives off a T7 effort at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and a solo eighth-place finish at the Italian Open. This followed up four top-25 finishes in his final five starts in the 2021-22 PGA Tour season. His iron play is simmering, and if it starts to boil, he may finally get off the schneid. | |
| Contender (25-1): Fleetwood was on the cusp of running through the 2021-22 FedEx Cup Playoffs before taking time away to attend to family matters. With top-five finishes at both the Scottish Open and The Open, Fleetwood returned at the BMW PGA Championship where he commanded a share of the first-round lead. Ultimately falling off the pace, he has since finished T22 at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and T39 last week at the Open de España. His irons were inexplicably cold in Spain, but he should be in store for a bounce-back week. | |
| Sleeper (40-1): The big-hitting Australian is a boom-or-bust option but is playing with a mighty chip on his shoulder. Still uneasy about being passed over for the 2022 Presidents Cup, Herbert began his 2022-23 campaign with a T20 result at the Shriners Children's Open. Before this, he had collected a T5 finish at the Italian Open, T15 at the BMW Championship and T15 at The Open. On and around the green, few if any can match Herbert's abilities, but it is his iron play which typically tells the tale of his week. If he posts positive approach figures, his name will be in the mix late on Sunday. | |
Who will win the Zozo Championship, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard and best bets, all from the model that's nailed eight golf majors and is up over $9,500 since June 2020.
