Blog#184 ZOZO Championship 

Blog#184 ZOZO Championship 

Accordia GC Chiba, Japan

Oct 23-27, 2024  Par 70

Purse $8.5 same as last year

$3.5M less than in 2022 

HISTORY This is the 5th of the 8 PGA Fall events and probably the one with the best field.

It is easier to pick a winner and I think it will come from the top 3.

Field limits to 76 with no cut.  Last year Colin Morikawa shot 62 on the final RD to win by 6. Beau Hossler led after RD2 and finished 2nd and has a chance.  

In 2022 Keegan Bradley made birdie on 17 to defeat Rickie Fowler by 1 stroke.

Matsuyama was 61 after 2 RDs last year and finished 40th in 2022 but won in 2021.

TV coverage will be on Golf Channel from 11PM until 3AM since Tokyo is 13 hrs ahead of EST.

ZOZO is a Japanese clothing manufacturer and many Asian golfers wear their logo.

FAVORITES

1 Xander Schauffele 4/1 This is the 3rd year in a row that he is picked to win, maybe this time.

2 Collin Morikawa 7.5/1 Tough to repeat but he is playing well.  All depends on his putting.

3 Hideki Matsuyama 8/1 Back issues have limited his game but if he is on he wins

I don’t see any of the 7 below winning, and the winner should come from the 3 above. 

LONG-SHOTS

1 Sungjae Im 14/1 He ranks 4th as a favorite to win, while he is in the hunt often rarely closes.

2 Sahith Theefgala 16/1 Very good young player but usually has at least 1 bad RD.

3 Justin Thomas 20/1 He had highs and lows last year.  Too many lows to win this week.

4 Kurk Kitayama 33/1 I picked him to win last 2 weeks, maybe this week.

5 Beau Hossler 33/1 Has played well in the Fall but still can’t seem to be good enough to win.

6 Will Zalatoris 35/1 35/1 I still think back issues prevent him from playing his best.

7 Min Woo Lee 35/1 A popular payer who can’t seem to get over the hump to win. 

My Longshots

1 Max Greyserman 40/1 He had some great tournaments earlier and he can win.

2 Gary Woodland 70/1 Played well last week with 4 RDs under 70 finished 9th.

3 Rickie Fowler 80/1 Also played well last week 23rd with 4 RDs under 70.

4 Matt Kucher 80/1 Plays almost every week and was 4th last week after RD3.

Of these 4 I think only Grayserman has an outside chance to win, but it would be great if one of these 3 could win. 

Commentary Ryder Cup ticket prices 2025.

On last weeks Blog#183, Results of Children’s Open, I expressed my opinion on The PGA’s decision to charge $750 per day for tickets to the 2025 Ryder Cup 3 day event.  On Golf Channel and the golf magazines it was addressed, and while most writers and TV reporters were concerned, they did not seem as outraged as did I, and felt that it probably would not effect total attendance anticipated at 45,000 per day netting $34M.  I still think it was a poor decision and will have a negative effect on the ongoing disinterest in professional golf.