The PGA Tour heads to Japan this week for the third event of the FedEx Cup Fall Series, the Baycurrent Classic, with Xander Schauffele returning to defend his title.
Schauffele finished on -19 at Yokohama Country Club to claim the spoils last year, one stroke ahead of fellow American Max Greyserman.
The inaugural event took place back in 2019, then known as the Zozo Championship, with Tiger Woods lifting the trophy at Narashino Country Club.
Patrick Cantlay, Hideki Matsuyama, Keegan Bradley, Collin Morikawa and Nico Echavarria have all won this tournament, although none of those victories came at Yokohama CC.
Baycurrent Classic Tips Summary
Best Bet - Collin Morikawa to win and each-way @ 14/1
Alternative Bet - Ryan Gerard to win and each-way @ 22/1
Alternative Bet - Sanghee Lee to win and each-way @ 250/1
Baycurrent Classic Prediction
Best Bet: Collin Morikawa to win and each-way @ 14/1
With Yokohama CC hosting for the first time last year, there is little course form to go on, but one player who competed 12 months ago was Morikawa, who finished tied 14th.
The American ended the regular PGA Tour season strongly, recording a top five at the BMW Championship a top 15 at the Tour Championship, and he recently played an important role in the Presidents Cup win at Medinah.
Morikawa won two points from his four matches against the Internationals and this trip to Japan will be his first outing since that team success.
The 29-year-old has one of the best all-round games and he is ranked 11th in strokes gained total on the PGA Tour, evidence of how well he is performing.
A strong putter will be a key area to success this week and it bodes well that Morikawa is seventh in putting average on the US circuit.
Alternative Bet: Ryan Gerard to win and each-way @ 22/1
Ryan Gerard's last three appearances have all been on the DP World Tour - the most recent effort a tied-14th finish at the Open de France - and he will feel confident of making his mark back on the PGA Tour.
The American was third in the Tour Championship on his last outing on the US circuit, that coming after a tied-16th finish at the BMW Championship.
The 27-year-old, who was 27th at Yokohama last year, is 21st in strokes gained total on the PGA Tour and he has the skillset to put in a bold bid for glory.
Alternative Bet: Sanghee Lee to win and each-way @ 250/1
South Korea's Sanghee Lee is not a well-known name across the PGA Tour and he comes into the event as the world number 260, but this week's event takes place in familiar surroundings and he is worth considering.
Lee has finished in the top five on two occasions in the tournament, albeit that was at a different course to this week's, but he arrives in sensational form and cannot be discounted.
He has featured heavily on the Korean and Japanese Tours in recent months, recording seven top-10 finishes in his last nine outings which included a win at the Sansan KBC Augusta Golf Tournament.
Lee has a big advantage as a regular player on the Japan Golf Tour and with plenty of this week's field teeing it up in the event for the first time, he offers good value.
Key Tournament Stats
This will the eighth edition of the tournament and the second since it was renamed the Baycurrent Classic.
The event takes place at Yokohama Country Club for the second year in a row, with 16 holes from the West Course used and two from the East.
Xander Schauffele is the defending champion after finishing on -19.
The winner of this tournament has need to reach at least -14.
Five of the seven winners have been American.
Home favourite Hideki Matsuyama claimed the spoils in 2021.
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
