Teeing Off at the ZOZO Championship 2023: What to Expect This Year

The ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, now in its fifth year, will commence on October 19^th, 2023! The best players in the world will assemble once more on the grand stage, where numerous captivating moments have already taken place. 

This eagerly awaited tournament will be conducted similarly to its inaugural edition in 2019, with no constraints on spectator attendance, mask usage, or cheering limitations during the competition. Moreover, with the enhancements to the newly redesigned “FedExCup Fall,” this year’s tournament promises to deliver heightened suspense and increased thrill like never before.

ZOZO Championship History 

The tournament marks Japan’s inaugural PGA Tour-sanctioned event under a long-term agreement up for renewal in 2025. It will also receive co-sanctioning from the Japan Golf Tour. Tiger Woods emerged victorious in the inaugural edition, securing his eighty second Tour triumph and equaling Sam Snead’s all-time record.

Due to ongoing travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 tournament was relocated to Sherwood Country Club, USA, and took place in October. As a result, the event became solely sanctioned by the PGA Tour, with no assistance from the Japan Golf Tour. 

In 2021, once again, Japan was the location while also receiving dual sanctioning from the PGA and Japan Golf Tour. Still, it retained unofficial status on the Japan Golf Tour in terms of prize money. 

Accordia Gold Narashino Country Club 

The ZOZO Championship, scheduled for October 19-22, 2023, returns to the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan. 

Like many other Japanese golf courses, this club features two greens at each hole. Throughout its history, it has been the venue for various notable golf tournaments. The Japan Airlines Open in 1972, the Japan Open Golf Championship in 1977, and the Japan PGA Championship in 1968 were all held at this club. Renowned golfers such as Seve Ballesteros, Graham Marsh, and Gary Player have emerged as winners in competitions held here. 

On November 20, 2018, it was announced that the ZOZO Championship would be held at this course, marking the PGA Tour’s debut in Japan.

ZOZO Championship: The Field  

The 78-player field comprises of:

• The top 60 PGA Tour players from the previous season’s FedEx Cup standings. 
• The top 7 players in the current season’s Japan Golf Tour money list through the Bridgestone Open. 
• The top 3 players in the Bridgestone Open.
• 8 sponsor exemptions.

ZOZO Championship Past Winners 

Year	Winner	Purse	Venue	Runner(s)-up
2022	Keegan Bradley	$11 million	Narashino, Japan	Rickie Fowler, Andrew Putnam
2021	Hideki Matsuyama	$9.5 million	Narashino, Japan	Brendan Steele, Cameron Tringale
2020	Patrick Cantlay	$8 million	Sherwood, USA	Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas
2019	Tiger Woods	$9.75 million	Narashino, Japan	Hideki Matsuyama

ZOZO Championship 2023: Ones to watch  

The organizers of the Zozo Championship have confirmed that defending champion Keegan Bradley from the United States, Japanese golf star Hideki Matsuyama, and former World No. 1 Adam Scott from Australia will be participating in the tournament. 

These talented players have a combined total of 28 PGA Tour titles. They will be joined by Xander Schauffele, Rickie Fowler, Collin Morikawa, Min Woo Lee, and Akshay Bhatia, who will compete in the tournament with no cuts and a four-round stroke play format. 

From a Betting Perspective 

The likes of Rory McIlroy have boosted the interest in Irish sports betting platforms. Although the PGA legend hasn’t been confirmed for the ZOZO Championship, you can guarantee that Ireland’s PGA Tour fans will be flocking to the window to take advantage of the desirable prices. 

A National Underdog and a Defending Champion 

Keegan Bradley, the defending champion, and Hideki Matsuyama, a past winner returning to his place of birth, will both emerge as betting underdogs to secure another ZOZO trophy based on their recent form. Despite being considered outsider bets, given their past successes in Japan, the potential for impressive odds deserves attention. 

Matsuyama, who claimed the title in 2021, experienced a decline in performance last year, while Bradley, the American champion, emerged victorious.

At this event, Matsuyama’s performance speaks for itself. In his debut at this course in 2019, he came in second place, narrowly missing out on the victory to Woods. Throughout the week, he consistently ranked among the top three players. Fast forward to 2021, Matsuyama returned to his home turf and triumphed with an impressive five-shot lead, shooting remarkable scores of 66, 65, 63, and 63. 

Admittedly, Matsuyama hasn’t been at his peak form lately. However, he showed promise by finishing T13 (x2) and T16 in two appearances from his last seven overall. 

When Matsuyama claimed victory here in 2021, he had played more recently, though his performances in the new season had been somewhat subpar, with finishes of 6th, 67th, and 59th. Leading up to this event, he owns a top-sixteen finish at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Although he boasts a relatively modest 36th-place OGWR ranking this season, I still believe he has the potential to deliver his best performance back on home turf.

ZOZO Championship 2023 Schedule 

The schedule for the 2023 ZOZO Championship is as follows: 

Date	Day	Event
October 16	Monday	Practice Day 1
October 17	Tuesday	Practice Day 2
October 19	Thursday	1st Round
October 20	Friday	2nd Round
October 21	Saturday	3rd Round
October 22	Sunday	Final Round & Award Ceremony