Baycurrent Classic Predictions, Golf Picks & Best Bets from Joe Champion
The PGA Tour returns to Yokohama Country Club in Japan, which hosts the Baycurrent Classic for the second consecutive year after Schauffele pipped Max Greyserman to last year’s title. Yokohama’s West Course is tight and tree-lined, so tee-to-green accuracy will be essential. Let's break down my expert golf predictions for the Baycurrent Classic this week, starting by looking at the odds.
Baycurrent Classic odds
Odds courtesy of bet365 and available at time of publishing.
- Xander Schauffele +1000
- Collin Morikawa +1500
- Hideki Matsuyama +1500
- Wyndham Clark +1500
- Justin Thomas +1700
- Jacob Bridgeman +1900
- Doug Ghim +2400
- Min Woo Lee +2400
- Ryan Gerard +2400
- Adam Scott +2700
- Michael Brennan +2700
- Michael Thorbjornsen +2700
- Sungjae Im +2700
- Kurt Kitayama +3000
- Maverick McNealy +3000
- Alex Smalley +3200
- Keita Nakajima +3200
- Matt Wallace +3200
- Jordan Spieth +3700
- Keegan Bradley +3700
- Keith Mitchell +3700
- Rickie Fowler +3700
Last year's winner Schauffele is the favorite to repeat this year, but faces some stiff competition from the likes of Collin Morikawa and Hideki Matsuyama, with a number of top players and former Major winners lining up in Japan this week.
Baycurrent Classic Best Bet: Collin Morikawa (+1600)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing.
As mentioned, tee-to-green accuracy will be essential this week, and that’s an area where Collin Morikawa remains among the best in the business.
The 29-year-old has Japanese heritage and relishes his trips to the Far East, winning this title when it was known as the ZOZO Championship in 2023, and finishing fourth at Kasumigaseki in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Last year, Morikawa shot a Sunday 63 to finish in a share of 14th place, signing off the year on a high following a poor run of form featuring just one top-ten finish from April onwards.
This year, Morikawa has won the Pebble Beach Pro-Am and chalked up six finishes of seventh or better in 13 subsequent events, all while managing a back problem that forced him to withdraw from the Players Championship after just one hole.
A solid Presidents Cup performance – two wins and two losses – ended with a crucial Sunday singles triumph over Hideki Matsuyama, which will fill Morikawa with confidence ahead of this latest trip to Japan.
Baycurrent Classic Prediction: Sungjae Im (+3400)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Sungjae Im played well in defeat for the International Team at Medinah, winning two and a half points, including a singles victory over Sam Burns.
The Korean has enjoyed a return to something like his best in recent months, finishing in the top 15 in five of his last six tournaments, and he should improve on last year’s 20th-place effort at Yokohama.
Baycurrent Classic Pick: Matt Wallace (+3300)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing.
England’s Matt Wallace opened with a 74 in this event last year, then followed up with rounds of 66, 66 and 67 to share 10th place, and he can also make his presence felt.
The Londoner had form figures of 5-7-15-9-14-10 prior to missing the cut at the Bank of Utah Championship last week, but there was little wrong with that performance, in which he carded rounds of 70-67. Missing the weekend by a solitary shot could be a blessing in disguise.
