Running Back Last Year's ZOZO Championship Victory
Since I'm the reigning champion, you're damn right I'm betting the ZOZO Championship 2023. Well, technically, Keegan Bradley won the 2022 ZOZO Championship but I bet Keegan at +3250 odds. Bradley returns to Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan to defend his ZOZO title.
This is a unique event on the PGA Tour's FedEx Fall Series. The ZOZO is a no-cut 4-round tournament with a 78-golfer field. Sixteen of the top 50 in the OWGR are teeing it up this weekend at Accordia including Xander Schauffele, Rickie Fowler, and Collin Morikawa.
This is the 4th ZOZO Championship played in Japan. The previous three champions at Accordia are Bradley, Japanese native Hideki Matsuyama in 2021 and Tiger Woods in 2019. The COVID pandemic forced the ZOZO out of Japan in 2020.
Hideki Matsuyama poses with the trophy after winning the 2021 ZOZO Championship at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Inzai, Chiba, Japan. (Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)
Accordia is a parkland-style, Par-70 golf course that measures 7,079 yards. There are two Bentgrass greens for each hole at Accordia. You read that right. There are TWO greens for each hole. I don't think that even exists in America.
Because there is a smaller field at Accordia, I'm going to shrink my 2023 ZOZO betting card. Last year, I backed three golfers but I'm only going to the window with two golfers this season. In addition to outright bets, I'll be making placement bets since it's hard to win golf tournaments.
ZOZO Championship 2023 Picks
Sungjae Im
The 25-year-old South Korean has to be on cloud nine entering the ZOZO. Im, and fellow countrymen, Si Woo Kim got military exemptions from a mandatory 21 months of service by leading South Korea to a gold medal in the Asian Games earlier this month.
Imagine how pumped you would be if instead of serving in the military you got to keep an awesome golf gig. Im had a down-year on Tour last season and perhaps the possible military obligation weighed him down.
Sungjae is a two-time winner on Tour and tied for 3rd at the ZOZO in 2019 when Tiger won. The South Korean has been playing golf in Asia recently so there isn't a travel concern for Im. He actually skipped last week's Shriners Children's Open, which is one of his two wins on Tour. That gives me confidence Sungjae is locked in for this week's ZOZO.
Sungjae Im hits his 2nd shot on the 10th hole during 2022 ZOZO in Inzai, Japan. (Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)
Furthermore, Accordia is a difficult course that's longer than the distance suggests. Over the last 50 rounds, Im leads this field in total Strokes Gained (SG) at difficult courses less than 7,200 yards, per FantasyNational.com.
Also, Im started to play better at the end of last season. Sungjae finished T20 at the 151st Open Championship, T6 at the 1st round of the FedExCup Playoffs (St. Jude Championship) and T7 in the 2nd round (the BMW Championship).
With that in mind, even a down-year for Im is better than most pros best year. He finished top-10 in nine of 30 tournaments last season including four "Signature Events" and the 1st two rounds of the FedExCup Playoffs.
1st ZOZO Championship 2023 pick: Sungjae Im
By "elsewhere", I mean sportsbooks that don't apply "dead heat rules" to bets on golfers that tie for placements. Since that sportsbooks isn't a partner, I cannot specify who I'm talking about. But, I'll give you a hint: It's a movie studio and casino in Las Vegas.
Sahith Theegala
Theegala broke his PGA Tour maiden earlier this month by winning the 2023 Fortinet Championship in his native California. Last year, Theegala was T5 at 12-under in his 1st ZOZO appearance, three strokes behind Bradley.
But, Sahith shot a 1st round 71 (+1) and averaged 66 (-5) the next three rounds. Again, Accordia is unique venue with characteristics most American golfers aren't familiar with. So if Theegala starts the 2023 ZOZO like he ended the last one, he should be in contention on the weekend.
Sahith Theegala putts on the 9th green during the 3rd round of the 2020 ZOZO Championship at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Japan. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
Honestly, this is more of a gut-, value-bet. Aside from putting, Theegala doesn't really pop on any of my models courtesy of FantasyNational.com. He is 6th in this field for SG: Putting on Bentgrass greens over the last 24 rounds.
Plus, I like going to battle with a golfer that has one outstanding skill. The 25-year-old was +8.9 SG: Putting at the Fortinet and +2.9 SG: Putting over his last five events with shot-link data.
Lastly, Sahith has played well at two crossover courses to Accordia: Augusta National and Harbour Town Golf Links. Theegala finished T5 at the 2023 RBC Heritage and T9 at the 2023 Masters.