Racing Post's Zozo Championship final-round predictions & free golf betting tips

Golf tips, best bets and player analysis for the final round of the Zozo Championship at Accordia Golf Narashino CC on the PGA Tour.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Golf, 4am Sunday

Best bet

Viktor Hovland to win 2.31am threeball
2pts 11-8 bet365

Joel Dahmen top-ten finish
1pt 6-4 bet365

Story so far

Rickie Fowler has struggled for top form over the last few seasons but the popular Californian heads into the final round of the PGA Tour's Zozo Championship with a one-shot lead.

Fowler, who is winless since the 2019 Phoenix Open, carded a four-under third-round score at Japan's Narashino Country Club which leaves him one stroke ahead of Keegan Bradley.

Bradley, the 30-1 ante-post recommendation of Racing Post Sport's Ian Wilkerson, is in turn one shot clear of steady Andrew Putnam with Norwegian superstar Viktor Hovland three off the lead and looming ominously in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Punters are advised to get their bets on on Saturday evening as the leaders tee off at 2.42am UK & Ireland time.

Leaderboard
-14 Rickie Fowler
-13 Keegan Bradley
-12 Andrew Putnam
-11 Viktor Hovland
-10 Maverick McNealy, Cameron Champ, Hayden Buckley
-9 Sahith Theegala, Taylor Moore, Tom Hoge, Ryo Hisatsune, Joel Dahmen, Matthew NeSmith

Best prices
9-4 R Fowler, K Bradley, 6 V Hovland, 8 A Putnam, 20 M McNealy, 28 C Champ, 40 S Theegala, T Hoge, H Buckley, 66 M NeSmith, 80 bar.

Final-round preview

Wholesale changes appear to have made a significant difference for Rickie Fowler, who has shown improvement after switching both caddie and coach in recent months.

The 33-year-old split with long-time bag man Joe Skovron in August, appointing Ricky Romano, and resumed working with coach Butch Harmon in September. He is also playing with new clubs this week for good measure.

As a five-time PGA Tour winner, Fowler has to be respected but it's been a long time between drinks for the Zozo Championship leader and he could feel the pressure over the final 18 holes at Narashino.

Keegan Bradley, one shot back and ready to pounce, has an excellent course record and the tight confines of the Japanese track play to his strengths. It's no surprise to see him as as joint-favourite despite opening the final round in arrears.

Andrew Putnam has played steady golf from June onwards but Viktor Hovland is a much more fearsome contender who will be aiming for a Sunday charge from three shots behind.

The high-class Norwegian has won six times worldwide since the start of 2020 and his last two victories - at the 2021 Hero World Challenge and the 2022 Dubai Desert Classic - saw him come from off the pace thanks to final-round 66s on each occasion.

Hovland has needed a bit of time to get to grips with Narashino but he's improved steadily throughout the tournament, firing rounds of 69, 66 and 64, including when hitting all 18 greens in regulation in Saturday's third round, to put himself in with a fighting chance.

He looks the biggest threat to the front two and should be backed to go lowest out of the 2.31am threeball which also features Maverick McNealy and Cameron Champ.

Further down the leaderboard, Joel Dahmen is five shots back, and while he might be too far off the pace to win, the accurate operator can plod into a top-ten finish at odds-against.

Dahmen has enjoyed the challenge of Narashino, carding just two bogeys over the first three days and improving his score by a shot each round.

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