-
Tight tree-lined fairways at Narashino
-
Morikawa can end barren run
-
In-form Sung Jae Im chasing third PGA Tour title
Tournament Notes
• The PGA Tour has travelled 5,500 miles west from last week's tournament in Nevada, to pitch-up close to Japan's east coast;
• This will be the fourth time that the tournament has been staged at Narashino Country Club in the metropolitan city of Chiba;
• Chiba is located on Tokyo Bay, approximately 25 miles east of Tokyo city centre;
• The tournament marks the PGA Tour's one and only trip to Asia this year;
• First held four years ago, the ZOZO Championship was also played at Narashino in 2021 and 2022, but was switched to California when the global pandemic struck in 2020;
• The field for this week's event is 78 players, as with all previous instalments.
Course Notes
• Opened in 1965, Narashino Country Club is one of Japan's most well-known layouts;
• This week's tournament takes place over a composite course, using holes from the club's King's and Queen's layouts;
• It is a lush gently rolling tree-lined course that is extremely well bunkered, with water on five holes;
• Every hole has two available putting surfaces, which are generally smaller than the PGA Tour average;
• Solid ball strikers, who can accurately guide their shots along the tight fairways of this parkland venue, should benefit most at Narashino;
• The key is to avoid the many heavily-wooded areas which run alongside the fairways;
• There are also a handful of interesting dog-legs to manoeuvre the ball around;
• Narashino has hosted many top level events over the years, including the Japan Open (1977), Japan PGA Championship (1968) and Japan Airlines Open (1972);
• It was also the venue for the popular Suntory Open between 1974 and 1997.
Latest betting for this week's Zozo Championship
Stroke Averages
Lowest Eight At Narashino (2019-22)
Average .... (Rounds)
67.17: Hideki Matsuyama (12)
67.67: Keegan Bradley (12)
67.75: Sung Jae Im (8)
68.38: Tom Hoge (8)
68.38: Mackenzie Hughes (8)
68.42: Xander Schauffele (12)
68.63: Rickie Fowler (8)
68.83: Adam Schenk (12)
Min. No. of Rounds = 8
Only those entered this week are included in table
ZOZO Championship Top Tips: Five To Watch
Keegan Bradley: The defending champion who makes his fourth appearance in the tournament. His 12 rounds here come at an average of 67.67. Is probably still smarting from his Ryder Cup snub.
Sung Jae Im: The two-time PGA Tour winner tees-up in Japan, having lost a play-off in Korea on Sunday. Stood on the Narashino podium in 2019.
Ryo Ishikawa: The one-time PGA Tour card holder finished runner-up in Japan's national open over the weekend. Decent each-way contender.
Collin Morikawa: Has competed in all three PGA Tour events staged at Narashino. The world No 20 has endured a frustrating 2023, during which there has been three podium finishes, but no trophy.
Sahith Theegala: Makes his first start since winning at Silverado in mid-September. Tied-fifth on his Narashino debut 12 months ago.
Note: List Contains Leading Reserves