The Baycurrent Classic, previously known as the ZOZO Championship, is the only official PGA TOUR event held in Asia. This year, it is moving from Narashino Country Club to Yokohama Country Club, one of Japan’s most renowned golf courses.
About 20 miles south of Tokyo, Yokohama Country Club was established in 1960 and is a 36-hole facility designed by the late Takeo Aiyama. The West Course was remodeled by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw in 2016. Known for its undulating fairways and dense pine trees, the course will see the field take on a composite of both layouts, including 16 holes from the West Course. As is the case in most “small-field” events, there is no cut this week as all players are guaranteed four rounds.
The Field
Part of the FedExCup Fall Series – a series of events after the FedEx Cup Playoffs – the Baycurrent Classic gives players a chance to earn crucial FedEx Cup points and secure their Tour status for next season.
Although it’s a limited field of 78 players, there are plenty of notables teeing it up at Yokohama Country Club, including defending champion Nico Echavarria, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Hideki Matsuyama, Wyndham Clark, and Adam Scott.
Invitations go to the Top 60 from last season’s FedEx Cup standings, the top eight from the Japan Golf Tour money list, the winner of the BMW Japan Golf Tour Championship Mori Building Cup, and nine sponsor exemptions.
Most Important Stats For Success at Yokohama CC (West)
*In order of importance
- SG: Approach
- Par 4 BoB%
- Driving Distance
- Proximity 50-150 yds
- SG: Putting (Difficult, Bentgrass)
- SG: ARG (Short Grass)
- Putting 5-15 feet
- Bogey Avoidance
- Good Drive %
- SG: No-Cut events
Key Rabbit Hole Filters
- Course Region: Asia
- Scoring Conditions: Easy
- Field Strength: Strong
- Event Season: Fall
- Event Type: No Cut
- Field Size: Small
- Greens Speed: Slow
- Greens Surface: Bent
- Rough Surface: Zoysia
Baycurrent Classic – Final Model
In each preview article and on Discord, I present my final model, which gives a detailed player ranking of the most important stats and splits for the week. My modeling is based on the PGA’s Strokes Gained data, which is categorized into SG: Off the Tee (OTT), SG: Approach (APP), SG: Around the Green (ARG), and SG: Putting (P). Learn more about Strokes Gained and why it can be so useful in analyzing the past and predicting future performance. Many of these specific metrics and conditions can be found in “The Rabbit Hole“, with my final model exclusively published here and in the Discord for subscribers.
Outright Betting Selections
For the most up-to-date picks, check out my Twitter and subscribe to our Discord at BetspertsGolf.com.
*Lines accurate at the time of publication.
- Morikawa +1700 (1.4u) – Rivers
- Homa +4000 (0.60u) – FD
- N. Hojgaard +5500 (0.43u) – MGM
- Woodland +5500 (0.43u) – FD
- Greyserman +7000 (0.34u) – Rivers
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Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images