This article is part of our Yahoo PGA DFS Picks series.
ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP
Chiba, Japan
Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club - Par 70 - 7,041 yards
Field - 78 entrants
Purse - $9.95M
The Preview
Rory McIlroy emerged from a loaded field in Las Vegas at the CJ Cup to secure his 20th victory on the PGA Tour this past week at just 32 years old, but the competition level diminishes quite a bit as players must travel overseas for the upcoming ZOZO Championship. As the event returns to Narashino Country Club, which features five par-3s and three par-5s, nearly a quarter of the 78 entrants are members of the Japan Golf Tour. Regardless of talent level, everyone is guaranteed 72 holes and a chunk of the almost $10M in prize money. Let's dive right in and explore a handful of potential value plays from a DFS perspective.
Recent Champions
2020 - Patrick Cantlay (Sherwood CC)
2019 - Tiger Woods (Narashino CC)
Key Stats to Victory
SG: Approach
SG: Putting (bentgrass)
Par-3 efficiency
Birdie or better percentage
Yahoo Value Picks
Based on $200 salary cap
Cream of the Crop
Collin Morikawa - $49
Not only did Morikawa gain 5.9 strokes from tee to green en route to his runner-up finish at the Summit Club last week, but he also found success with the flat stick after losing a collective 12 strokes putting during the FedExCup Playoffs. He played his final 36 holes at the CJ Cup in 17-under-par, tallying 15 birdies and an eagle to zero bogeys throughout his weekend in Vegas. Given Yahoo's relatively soft pricing, it's not difficult to allocate $49 on such an elite player with 7/1 odds to win the golf tournament.
Will Zalatoris - $42
It's fairly easy to begin with a Morikawa-Schauffele stack despite their positioning atop the salary board, and Hideki Matsuyama ($41) should be a popular selection in his native Japan as he placed second here in 2019. This hopefully leaves Zalatoris as the least-rostered option in the $40s as he makes his first start since a missed cut at the Shriners Children's Open. The MC during the first leg of the Las Vegas Swing is obviously a disappointment, but he's still gained strokes both off the tee and with his irons in five consecutive measured events dating back to the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. Over his last 12 rounds, Zalatoris is third in birdie or better percentage and first in bogey avoidance.
Glue Guys
K.H. Lee - $32
Lee fired back-to-back 66s to close out his week at the CJ Cup, where he ultimately gained north of four strokes on his approach shots on the way to a 79.17 GIR percentage. He was even better from tee to green the week prior at the Shriners Children's Open, and Lee now owns three top-25s in four starts dating back to a T12 at the BMW Championship. Additionally, Lee gained 2.2 strokes on the par-3s at the Summit Club.
Emiliano Grillo - $30
Grillo is top-10 among the ZOZO field in SG: Approach and SG: Off-the-Tee over his past 12 rounds, and he's coming off an 11-under 61 in the final round of the CJ Cup. That's what happens when his putter finally cooperates, as he holed seven birdies and a pair of eagles while gaining 4.1 strokes on the greens Sunday. Grillo has experience at Narashino CC as well, tying for 30th in 2019.
Bargain Bin
Henrik Norlander - $21
There's a glaring misprice down in this range with Rickie Fowler listed at just $24 despite his top-3 revival performance at the CJ Cup, so gamers must decide between eating or fading the chalk with him at such a discount this week. There are so many low-cost pivot values near or at the minimum salary, however, especially in a no-cut event. Norlander, who recently led the Sanderson Farms Championship in SG: Approach, falls in this category. The Swede is No. 1 in both SG: APP and proximity from 175-200 yards over his last 12 rounds.
Tom Hoge - $21
Hoge's iron play has been extremely admirable and consistent as of late, gaining 3.1 or more strokes on his approach shots in four straight events since the season opener. He compiled eight final-round birdies at the CJ Cup, where he also tallied two eagles in his first 54 holes and ultimately hit 40 of 56 fairways in regulation.
