Baycurrent Classic picks 2025: For Hideki Matsuyama, it just means more this week

The FedEx Cup Fall rolls on this week with the Baycurrent Classic, formerly known as the Zozo Championship. A limited field, no-cut event in Japan where the likes of Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and Hideki Matsuyama will provide the star power while up-and-comers like Chris Gotterup and Michael Thorbjornsen look to join that upper echelon.

The Golf Digest betting panel is comprised of a tour coach reporting anonymously from the grounds of Yokohama Country Club, Pat Mayo of Underdog/Mayo Media Network, Brandon Gdula of numberFire/FanDuel, Andy Lack of the Inside Sports Network, your two authors and Keith Stewart, the CEO of Read The Line. Stewart, our newest member of the panel, is our new betting content partner as well.

RELATED: Baycurrent Classic DFS picks 2025: My favorite play might surprise you

Scroll down for our complete betting analysis of the 2025 Baycurrent Classic:

Baycurrent Classic picks 2025: Our Experts’ Outright Predictions

Anonymous Swing Coach of the Week: Hideki Matsuyama (18-1, FanDuel) — Winning this event in his homeland will mean more to Hideki than the rest of the field. That’s hard to quantify with advanced metrics or odds. I’ll gladly back Hideki to get his first victory since the season opener.

Pat Mayo, Underdog/Fantasy National, Mayo Media Network analyst: Michael Kim (40-1, FanDuel) — Wide fairways, strong wedge play, and quality putting on slower greens? That’s the MK combo.

Brandon Gdula, FanDuel/numberFire managing editor: Chris Gotterup (22-1, FanDuel) — Gotterup’s game traveled well outside the U.S. when he won the Genesis Scottish Open and finished third at the Open. He’s a long hitter, which should work this week, and the putter is really stable, too. Nobody’s statistical ceiling is higher than his over everyone’s last 50 rounds.

Keith Stewart, PGA, Read The Line: Garrick Higgo (45-1, BetRivers) — We first met Garrick Higgo in 2021. Higgo won twice in three weeks on the DP World Tour in record fashion. A month later, Garrick was a PGA Tour winner. Runner-up in Mississippi on Sunday, Higgo’s game is seriously trending again. Higgo finished seventh at the Procore and has gained an average of 12-plus strokes on the field in his last two PGA Tour starts. The showmanship on Sunday at the Sanderson means Garrick is uber confident. Considering we have 78 rookies in the field for this brand-new venue, I’m choosing the hottest golfer.

Stephen Hennessey, Golf Digest managing editor: Alex Noren (22-1, FanDuel) — I’m happy to ride the hot hand with Noren here. It’s not just a hot putter that has bolstered the Swede to two victories on the DP World Tour in his past three starts. He’s gained nearly four strokes on approach per tournament over his past four events. He also had two top 10s in his two most recent PGA Tour starts. Noren rattling off a bunch of wins in bunches is a theme in his career, and so I’ll bank on another big week from the BMW PGA champ.

Christopher Powers, Golf Digest senior writer: Michael Thorbjornsen (35-1, BetRivers) — It’s hard to look at his numbers over the last handful of events and not think a breakthrough is coming. Distance is not an issue for Thor and that will certainly help this week, but it’s the approach play that’s been particularly sharp of late. Clean up the putting, which admittedly could prove difficult this week on bentgrass, his least favorite surface, and he’ll be in the mix.

Andy Lack, Inside Sports Network: Si Woo Kim (22-1, FanDuel) — Si Woo Kim is playing some great golf and he’s coming off a fifth-place finish at the BMW PGA Championship where he gained strokes in all three tee-to-green categories. The former Players champion has played quite well at this event in the past, and we are even starting to see some improvement on the greens as well.

Past results: We now have 12 individual victories in 2025 after our tour coach’s fifth outright winner this season (Scottie Scheffler).

Listen to Golf Digest’s weekly betting podcast, “The Loop,” (below) where we interview the industry’s leading experts (and sometimes tour pros) to help you make your bets and pick your fantasy lineups. And be sure to subscribe to “The Loop” wherever you get your podcasts!

Baycurrent Classic picks 2025: Sleepers/Dark Horses Who Could Win

Tour coach: Mac Meissner (70-1, BetRivers) — An impressive young player who had a T-2 at the Wyndham and another strong showing last week in Mississippi. He can absolutely light it up, so I love the value here.

Mayo: Matt McCarty (60-1, BetRivers) — Although the course is an unknown, the wiring of the fairways could turn this into a wedge and putting competition. Something McCarty parlayed into a bunch of wins of KFT and instantly last swing season on the PGA Tour.

Gdula: Nico Echavarria (80-1, FanDuel) — Echavarria’s scoring ceiling is top six in the field, trailing a bunch of the favorites, and he won the ZOZO last year. Additionally, his profile is centered on strong irons and putting – a bankable recipe for upside.

Stewart: Gary Woodland (55-1, FanDuel) — One trending golfer I’ve been watching closely is Gary Woodland. Woodland has gained over six strokes on the field in three straight events. The last of those contests was the Procore in September, so he has carried that solid ball-striking through the playoff break. Three straight events with great off-the-tee and approach play, the putter has even cooperated for the Ryder Cup Vice Captain. Although it was another course, Woodland also had overseas success in this event, finishing fifth in 2019.

Hennessey, Golf Digest: Patrick Fishburn (55-1, FanDuel) — We had Patrick on The Loop podcast earlier in the year, and he talked about how despite his impressive power off the tee, he plays his best golf on a more positional golf course. We’re starting to see the data to prove that tendency. He had a T-8 at the Wyndham to end the season, plus had top 10s at Waialae and TPC San Antonio. There should be a lot of similarities off the tee to what pros see at Yokohama. Fishburn is first in Good Drive Percentage over the past 30 rounds, in addition to being in the top 20 in SG/approach and SG/putting. Those are a lot of signs that he’s putting it all together, and I’d expect him to contend in the fall, possibly lifting a trophy this week.

Powers, Golf Digest: Max Greyserman (70-1, BetRivers) — A wild misprice on a guy who came oh-so-close to victory No. 1 multiple times last season. Yes, he’s gone cold since the Rocket Mortgage runner-up, but this would be a perfect spot to right the ship. Different course a year ago, but he did finish T-2 in that first trip to Japan.

Lack: Emiliano Grillo (45-1, FanDuel) — This is a great bounce back opportunity for Emiliano Grillo, who is coming off a missed cut last week at the Sanderson Farms Championship. Yokohama CC should be an even better fit for the Argentine given his strong approach play, and he has a fourth and a 10th at this event in two of the last three years.

RELATED: The first Skins Game in 17 years will feature these PGA Tour stars—and a prize money twist

Baycurrent Classic picks 2025: Players We’re Fading

Tour coach: Wyndham Clark (28-1, Caesars Sportsbook) — It seems Wyndham has been hard at work on his swing over the past couple of weeks, but this is a strong field, and it’s tough to get behind him figuring his game out with a snap of a finger. His driver will get him in trouble here.

Mayo: Collin Morikawa (12-1, Caesars Sportsbook) — Maybe this is where it all turns around. But more likely, it’s more of the un-winning same.

Gdula: Collin Morikawa (16-1, FanDuel) — Morikawa’s putter just reduces his upside at this point, and there are more interesting names in similar form with better putting data than he owns at similar or better numbers this week.

Stewart: Collin Morikawa (12-1, Caesars Sportsbook) — The putter has been beyond dysfunctional for Collin Morikawa. Morikawa’s ball-striking has been on point, gaining positive strokes tee-to-green in five straight events, including the Ryder Cup. Collin’s confidence on the greens is gone. He has one event in his last 10 starts where he gained strokes putting. New venues always favor good putters. With Morikawa losing over three strokes per start in his last five events, I’ll wait until the TGL before I begin backing him again.

Hennessey, Golf Digest: Min Woo Lee (25-1, BetRivers) — Min Woo had a great week in France, leading to a T-5, but aside from that, he’s been hemorrhaging strokes on his approach play. His game is better suited to a course where you can bomb it anywhere without caring where it ends up. That doesn’t seem like it’ll be the case at Yokohama.

Powers, Golf Digest: Collin Morikawa (12-1, Caesars Sportsbook) — This has been the easiest fade in golf due to his putter over the last four months. He still gets priced among the elites while owning just one top-10 finish since mid-March.

Lack: Kevin Yu (27-1, FanDuel) — This is simply too high of a price to pay for Kevin Yu, even after a strong performance last week. I still have concerns about Yu’s approach play and putting on a course like Yokohama Country Club.

Baycurrent Classic picks 2025: Matchups

Tour coach: Gary Woodland (-110) over Patrick Fishburn (DraftKings) — When Gary is in a groove, he tends to keep it going. He’s got three top-25s in his past three starts, and it’s clear he’s getting his mojo back. He’s in a different tier of player than Fishburn.

Mayo: Alex Noren (+110) over Hideki Matsuyama (Coolbet) — Noren’s won twice in three starts with four top 10s in his past five starts. Hideki doesn’t have a top 10 since his win to open 2025 in Hawaii.

Gdula: Michael Kim (-115) over Adam Scott (FanDuel) — Though Scott is longer off the tee, Kim has better irons and putting than Scott over the last six months and rates out well in this matchup, per my data.

Stewart: Max Homa (-105) over Wyndham Clark (DraftKings) — Wyndham Clark last played in Switzerland (late August) at the Omega European Masters. He missed the cut, and the ball-striking was not good. Max Homa has been playing much better into the late summer and fall. Nineteenth at the Procore and 18th at the Sanderson Farms, Max is trending (and playing) while we haven’t seen Wyndham in months.

Hennessey, Golf Digest: Matt Wallace (-120) over Byeong Hun An (DraftKings) — It’s possible Benny found something last week at the Sanderson, but that was his first top-30 finish since July. I’d rather trust the longer-term data and back Wallace, who is top 20 in most of the important metrics this week—SG/total, SG/approach and Good Drive Percentage.

Powers, Golf Digest: Rico Hoey (-125) over Sungjae Im (DraftKings) —Expecting a bounce back week from Hoey, whose putter remained as cold as ever in a missed cut at Sanderson. As for Sungjae, it’s entirely possible he’s gone to work on his approach play during the mini offseason, but I’d have to see that it’s fixed first before trusting him.

Lack: Emiliano Grillo (-115) over Matt Wallace (BetOnline) — This is an easy one, as Grillo is one of my favorite plays, while I do not carry said confidence in Matt Wallace. The Englishman lost significantly on approach last week at the Sanderson Farms, which should be the deciding factor in this matchup.

Matchup Results from the Sanderson Farms Championship: Tour coach: 1 for 1 (Clanton (+100) over Hossler); Gdula: 1 for 1 (Grillo (-110) over Smalley); Powers: PUSH (Hubbard (-110) over Fishburn); Lack: 0 for 1; Hennessey: 0 for 1; Stewart: 0 for 1; Mayo: 0 for 1

Matchup Results from this season (Wins-Losses-Pushes): Tour coach: 16-14-3 (up 2.21 units); Lack: 17-16-1 (down 0.34 units); Powers: 17-17-2 (down 0.71 units); Hennessey: 18-17-1 (down 0.81 units); Mayo: 15-18-2 (down 2.42 units); Stewart: 15-20-1 (down 5.72 units); Gdula: 13-20-3 (down 8.57 units)

Baycurrent Classic picks 2025: Top 10s

Tour coach: Adam Scott (+360, FanDuel) — I love these odds on a top-10 finish from Adam Scott. He plays a worldwide schedule, so this travel will be nothing for him. Although he didn’t finish the year strong, he was very solid in the first two-thirds of the year with the close call at the U.S. Open.

Mayo: Austin Eckroat (+500, BetRivers) — Actually made a few putts his last time out in Napa. If he keeps it up, it’s a been a winning formula on tour.

Gdula: Emiliano Grillo (+360, FanDuel) — Grillo remains a top-tier iron player and a long-term good putter. We’ve also seen him notch consecutive top 10s at the ZOZO, as well. Additionally, Grillo is the highest-floor golfer by round-to-round scoring variance over everyone’s last 50 rounds.

Stewart: Eric Cole (+550, FanDuel) — Eric Cole gained 4.5 strokes on the field with his iron game in Mississippi. A notorious fall leaderboard guy, he finished ninth at the Sanderson Farms on Sunday. No stranger to Japan, Cole has a sixth place and a runner-up finish in the Baycurrent Classic. Eric’s iron game and putter are trending, so we’re tailing.

Hennessey, Golf Digest: Kurt Kitayama (+220, FanDuel) — Kitayama is 10th in tournament history at the previous host venue, which isn’t an exact comp, but I think is a good barometer of success over in Japan. He also won recently at the 3M Open and is third in this field in SG/approach over the past 30 rounds. If he’s a slight gainer on the putting greens, which he has been in the past at the old Zozo, he’ll be near the top of the leaderboard.

Powers, Golf Digest: Taiga Semikawa (+1000, BetRivers) — The former top-ranked amateur in the world picked up his fifth victory on the Japan Golf Tour in June and is currently on a streak of six consecutive top 10s on the JGT. That doesn’t mean he can hang with the world’s best quite yet, but it’s worth a shot at 10-1 this week. He’s clearly playing some good golf and gets a home-field edge at Yokohoma.

Lack: Michael Thorbjornsen (+350, BetRivers) — Michael Thorbjornsen was my pick to win last week, and while he certainly fell short of that, I was still heavily encouraged by his ball-striking. The 24-year-old gained four strokes off the tee and over 5.5 strokes on approach. Hopefully his putter does not fail him at Yokohama.

Top-10 results from the Sanderson Farms Championship: Everybody: 0 for 1

Top-10 results from this season: Gdula: 11 for 36 (up 17.3 units); Tour coach: 9 for 33 (up 16.8 units); Mayo: 9 for 36 (up 14.17 units); Stewart: 13 for 36 (up 13.65 units); Lack: 10 for 35 (up 11.1 units); Hennessey: 7 for 35 (up 4.5 units); Powers: 1 for 36 (down 28.5 units)

About our experts

Pat Mayo is an award-winning video host and producer of long and short-form content, and the host of The Pat Mayo Experience daily talk show. Mayo helped create the golf stats and research website Fantasy National along with the Race for the Mayo Cup One and Done contest. Mayo won the 2022 Fantasy Sports Writing Association Daily Fantasy Writer of the Year and is a finalist for three FSWA Awards in 2023 (Best Podcast, Daily Fantasy Writer of the Year, Golf Writer of the Year). His 27 FSWA nominations lead all writers this decade and are second-most all-time. Follow him on Twitter: @ThePME.

Brandon Gdula, managing editor and analyst for numberFire, a FanDuel daily-fantasy analysis company, recently won the 2018 FSWA Golf Writer of the Year. Gdula also co-hosts the DFS Heat Check podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @gdula13.

Keith Stewart is a five-time award-winning PGA professional, a betting contributor for Golf Digest and founder of Read The Line, the premier on-site live golf betting insights service covering the LPGA and PGA TOUR. Subscribe to Read The Line’s weekly newsletter here and raise your golf betting acumen. Keith’s winning content can also be found on Sports Grid, Bleacher Report and The Sporting News. Follow him on Twitter @readtheline_.

Andy Lack is a PGA Tour writer and podcaster from New York City who now resides in Los Angeles. Andy is the founder and CEO of Inside Sports Network, a website devoted to the predictive quality of advanced analytics and golf course architecture. He came to Golf Digest’s betting panel after previously writing for Run Pure Sports, RickRunGood.com, the Score and GolfWRX. In his free time, Andy can likely be found on a golf course. Follow him on Twitter: @adplacksports.

Read the full article here