Well Gary Woodland goes on the shitlist. A 9th place drivelly pathetic weedy Sunday finish from him saw us without a place last week. He's close though, so scroll below for his name again, after a week where delays meant the predicted draw bias didn't bear out and Poston and Ghim could have both made the list had it not been draw relevant (sods law).
A quick synopsis this week for the Zozo as a decent field heads to Japan for the 6th running of this event at Accordia Golf Club.
Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club, par 70, 7,079 yards, tree lined, tight and a ball strikers course, this week could prove some test as atrocious weather and high winds on Thursday, followed by strong ish winds and cool temperatures for the rest of the week, will test these guys to the max. If they keep the rough up as it usually is, it could be a single figure winning score.
4 selections here, and we drop big GARY WOODLAND into the mix again. Until his double bogey on Sunday he had no bogeys on his card, his play tee to green was outstanding and his putting as usual held him back, in a what could have been week. If he stripes it like that here this week, a US Open winner at Pebble Beach, he will be in the mix and although a tight 55/1 for 7 places in a reduced field of 78 with Paddy Power we are 5pts e/w on a bloke who came 5th here in it's first iterance.
Next up I saw enough of a flicker of light from MARK HUBBARD last week to peak my interest. He is a tee to green master and this place isn't long, and with that necessity for control and accuracy, coupled with with a top 15 last week and a good showing here last year despite horrendous conditions in his 2nd round I'm excited about his chances. Hills are 80/1 7 places and we are in kind 3pts e/w on him.......he will win on tour someday!
Last years run away winner, along with his compatriot and 2 time major winner, Morikawa and Schauffelle bring star quality and push out the odds on others. Like last week, we go with the middle of the market again, as given the weather, and given the obvious rust these lads will have on their first event back, I can't put players up at 15/2 and smaller given the circumstances. Matsuyama does play well fresh, but his fellow Japanese star is the final pick this week. Former French Open winner at just 21, this lad has game. and RYO HISATSUNE has been on this blog a few times now. 12th here last year, 52nd in his Rookie year as a teenager and a 3rd at the Wyndham on tour in the late summer, he is a champion in the making, and the whistling winds of his home nation won't stop him as he is all about ball striking. A dodgy but streaky putter is the key to his performance, and he has 2 events out of the first 3 under his belt so far and will be sharp. He is inexplicably priced at 66/1 this week with Hills 7 places, and when a price is so wrong we go a bit bigger and he gets 6pts e/w, as he really should be 25/1!!!!
Last up given the conditions, accuracy could be heavily rewarded. Tapper and fairway finder extraordinaire SATOSHI KODAIRA finished 16th here last year. He is a winner at Harbour town many moons ago, and despite plying his trade more in Japan now than America, he is still finding fairways and greens and at 35 he's hardly over the hill. Inexplicably he is 400/1 7 places with Hills so we can't ignore this and our last 1pt goes on him e/w.
Go well, and be aware this starts in the early hours of Thursday morning so get on quick!
TEWT
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