Racing Post's Zozo Championship predictions and free golf betting tips

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

Where to watch

Live on Sky Sports Golf & Main Event from 4am Thursday

Best bets

Sungjae Im
2.5pts each-way 12-1 BoyleSports
Keegan Bradley
1.5pt each-way 40-1 BoyleSports
Mito Pereira
1pt each-way 35-1bet365

Click here to add Ian Wilkerson's Zozo Championship tips to your bet365 betslip

Tournament preview

The PGA Tour spreads its wings to Japan this week for the Zozo Championship, and home fans will be keen to see a repeat of last year's triumph for local hero Hideki Matsuyama.

The returning Masters champion won by five shots that week but his form has not been at the same level and the strongest field since the Tour Championship should provide plenty of tough competition.

Xander Schauffele, who tasted glory at the Tokyo Olympics heads out as favourite but there are plenty of others who will fancy their chances.

Wilkerson's top tip

Sungjae Im 12-1

Sungjae Im is starting to get a reputation as a nearly man but the quality of the South Korean's play over the last few months suggests a win is just around the corner and he merits support again this week.

It is difficult to find something not to like and it is not as if he has been choking in sight of the finish line.

Im has been so consistent and this could be the week when he gets a deserved success.

Japanese courses tend to be tight and this week's test in Chiba is no exception, which should suit a ball-striker of Im's quality down to the ground.

Im was ranked ninth in strokes-gained tee-to-green up until the Tour Championship and he took that form into his first autumn showing at the Shriners Children's Open last week, where he gained two shots on the field in that sphere.

He was tied for seventh and that came after he was joint-top scorer in the International team's defeat at the Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow.

Before then, he had a strong end to the season with runner-up finishes at the 3M Open and the Wyndham Championship in the closing week's of the campaign, and he was second on the 72-hole scores behind Rory McIlroy at the Tour Championship.

He has some good course form in the book, having finished third behind Tiger Woods three years ago, and last week's performance shows he is not easing into the new PGA Tour year. He looks well placed to claim a third, and overdue, crown.

Next best bet

Keegan Bradley 40-1

Matsuyama tops the charts when it comes to Accordia form with a win and a second spot in his two appearances, but Keegan Bradley has taken a liking to the track too and could enjoy another fine week.

The 2011 US PGA winner has not tasted victory since the BMW Championship four years ago, but his fifth spot last time out at the Sanderson Farms has to be seen as a source of encouragement.

And he should be further boosted by the fact he is one of the course record holders at Narashino after his 63 helped him to a tie for 13th in 2019.

He improved on that as one of a whole host of players who finished tied for seventh last year, and the surroundings could bring out his best and help him get that monkey off his back.

Other selection

Mito Pereira 35-1

Solid iron play should be rewarded this week and that points to a potentially strong performance from Chile's Mito Pereira, who excels in that area of the game.

Pereira's profile entered another dimension at the US PGA this year when he blew the lead on the 72nd hole at Southern Hills and carded a double bogey which saw him miss out on a playoff with Justin Thomas and Will Zalatoris.

He bounced back immediately with good performances at the Charles Schwab (seventh) and Memorial (13th) before going through a bit of a slump.

His Presidents Cup appearance wasn't great but he made an excellent return to tournament play after a seven-week break last week when he finished fourth in Las Vegas.

The set-up this week suggests it could suit his game and good things look to be on the horizon for the South American.

Players to note

Corey Conners
The straight-hitting Canadian missed his last cut but was fifth at the BMW Championship not long ago and claimed sixth spot when playing here in 2019.

Hideki Matsuyama
The defending champion cannot bank on the rich form he took into the tournament last year. He has posted just four top-tens since winning the Sony Open in Hawaii in January.

Xander Schauffele
The Olympic champion has the required accuracy to make a bold bid this week in his first action since the Tour Championship, where he finished sixth.

Scott Stallings
Has posted top-20 finishes in seven of his last 11 tournaments, including 13th on his seasonal reappearance at the Sanderson Farms and has the ball-striking skills to take a shine to the course on his debut.

Accordia Golf Narashino CC course guide

Course Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club, Chiba, Japan
Prize money $11m ($1.98m to winner)
Length 7,041 yards
Par 70 - five par-threes, ten par-fours and three par-fives
Field 78
Course records - 72 holes261 Tiger Woods (2019) 18 holes63 Keegan Bradley (2019), Rory McIlroy (2019)

Course winner taking part Hideki Matsuyama

Highest-ranked players in field (world rankings in brackets) Xander Schauffele (6), Collin Morikawa (9), Viktor Hovland (11), Tom Kim (15), Cameron Young (16).

When to bet By 12.30am Wednesday night

When to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf and Main Event from 4am Thursday

Time difference Japan is eight hours ahead of the UK & Ireland

Last week - Shriners Children's Open 1 T Kim 22-1, T2 P Cantlay 7-1, M NeSmith 70-1, T4 T Hoge 40-1, M Pereira 66-1, SH Kim 125-1, 7 S Im 12-1

Course type Parkland

Course overview Accordia Narashino made its PGA Tour debut in 2019 when this tournament was won by Tiger Woods and it returned last year after a stay at Sherwood Country Club, California, during the pandemic.

Narashino was opened in 1965 and is a 36-hole complex – the Zozo Championship uses a composite course of the best holes at the venue. There are only three par-fives on the scorecard – the 587-yard sixth, the 608-yard 14th and the 562-yard 18th – and five par-threes. It plays 34 out and 36 in.

The toughest holes are the 505-yard par-four fourth, the 486-yard par-four 11th and the 490-yard par-four 12th.

This is a tight, tree-lined, parkland layout with water in play on five holes, and numerous doglegs.

There are two greens on each hole, only one of each will be used each day, with free drops off the other, and they are all fairly small.

Story of last year Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama delighted the home crowds by posting a five-shot victory ahead of American challengers Brendan Steele and Cameron Tringale.

Weather forecast It looks set to be a cloudy week with wind and rain likely to cause little disruption.

Type of player suited to the challenge Japanese courses are traditionally tight and this is no exception so finding the fairways is key. Strong iron play should not go unrewarded.

Key attribute Accuracy

Not got a bet365 account? Bet £10 & get £50 in free bets

Open account offer. Minimum deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as bet credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Minimum odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude bet credits stake. Time limits/T&Cs apply. 18+ begambleaware.org

CLAIM OFFER HERE

MORE FREE BETS

Sign up to emails from Racing Post Sport and get all the latest news and tips

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport