Baycurrent Classic Predictions: Conservative/Aggressive Plays for Every Type of Bettor

If this week’s PGA Tour event, the Baycurrent Classic, doesn’t sound familiar, well, that’s because it shouldn’t, as it takes on a new title sponsor after a half-dozen iterations as the Zozo Championship.

With a new name comes a new host course, as it will be held for the first time at Yokohama Country Club in Yokohama, Japan, which is listed as a 7,315-yard par-71.

In fact, the only real commonality between this event and what it was previously is the fact that it asks players to travel directly from Jackson, Miss., then graciously gives them a week off before heading to Ivins, Utah – a natural road map if there ever was one.

The field at Yokohama is dotted with a few superstars who each probably still feel that their year has been a bit unfulfilling here in October. Xander Schauffele (+1000) is still chasing his best stuff after missing two months early in the season; Collin Morikawa (+1600) is chasing anything he can find at the end of a campaign which has been regrettable for numerous reasons; and Hideki Matsuyama (+1800) is chasing past glory in his home country, having “only” one won edition of the erstwhile Zozo.

What we’re left with is a 78-man field in which 15 players are ranked outside of the top-150 on the Official World Golf Ranking. It all screams value, if we can manage to avoid those big names at the top of the board. Let’s dive right into the picks.

Baycurrent Classic Outright Winner Picks

Conservative: Wyndham Clark (+3300)

When the subject of Clark and his 2025 season arises, you’ll likely remember it for his temper tantrum at the PGA Championship, when he threw his driver against signage for one of his sponsors, and his temper tantrum at the U.S. Open, when he so profusely damaged a locker that he was suspended from Oakmont. Those are both vivid memories – or at least the stories about them are – and while I wouldn’t expect a handful of solid results to usurp them, it’s also fair to remember that Clark was a lot closer to playing at his potential by season’s end than we probably recall.

In fact, he finished top-20 in four of his last six starts and though two of those came during the U.K. fortnight, bookends on either side suggest that they weren’t simply influenced by a change of scenery. That window quickly closed, as he opened 67-68 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, but failed to advance to his home state in the playoffs due to a final-round 75, and has since MC’d in his lone start since, despite a couple of decent-looking scores at the Omega European Masters.

Point is, Clark has been wildly volatile, both figuratively and literally, though there are hints that the upside isn’t too far off. This week, he owns a bigger price tag than Min Woo Lee and Kevin Yu, and the same number as Garrick Higgo and Michael Thorbjornsen. At a tourney where everybody in the field has a bit of the Goldilocks syndrome (you know, too something), I prefer to hunt for optimal pricing and Clark’s feels way too long considering his ceiling. 

Aggressive: Max Greyserman (+6000)

Last year, Greyserman lost by a single stroke to eventual winner Nico Echavarria at this event. And though I’m sure I could rationalize something like, “Simply being able to travel around the world and contend in a foreign land bodes well for his chances at this one,” I don’t really think he’ll bring any momentum to a completely different tourney at a different course. The truth is, I just really like the price next to his name, as well, which is the exact same price he carried into last year’s Zozo.

This time around, Greyserman brings five MCs in his last six starts with him to Japan (a T-32 in a no-cut 70-man event was his only cash during this period), though with only one start in the past two months, I’m willing to buy the idea that he comes to this one with a clean slate. As with Clark, this was just a price which immediately jumped off the page for me, as the Duke product has shown that his best stuff is good enough to win, based on five top-five results in the past 15 months. 

Baycurrent Classic Top-5 Picks

Conservative: Alex Noren (+320)

Aggressive: Gary Woodland (+750)

There were five Ryder Cup competitors — all from the European side — who traveled directly from Bethpage to another tournament and teed it up last week. Robert MacIntyre, of course, won the Dunhill Links, Tyrrell Hatton finished runner-up, and Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood were each T-21, while Rasmus Hojgaard played the Sanderson Farms and netted a share of third place. Pretty strong results after such a high-pressure event.

The vice captains, however, didn’t fare quite as well, perhaps proving that playing golf is better preparation for playing more golf than riding in a golf cart and making sandwiches. Of the 10 total assistants, half played across the PGA, DP World and Champions circuits last week, with only one — Thomas Bjorn, who was T-3 at the Constellation Furyk & Friends — finishing inside the top-60.

I have a feeling that being a week further away from the Ryder Cup should do a world of good for these assistants, including Noren and Woodland, neither of whom played last week. It was a bit jarring to see Noren’s price equal to that of Morikawa and shorter than Matsuyama, but that’s what happens when you win twice in the past month-and-a-half. Woodland’s finishes of T-19, T-23 and T-20 in his last three starts have me optimistic about him, as well. 

Baycurrent Classic Top-10 Picks

Conservative: Adam Scott (+350)

I’m going to write this for maybe the tenth time or the hundredth time or the thousandth time over the past half-decade, but it’s worth repeating: I find it downright shocking – in a good way! – that the 45-year-old Scott continues to grind at this stage of his career. Look, I didn’t expect him to completely hang it up, but figured he’d play a little before each of the majors in hopes that he could win another one before he’s done.

And he essentially told me as much during the U.S. Open, when he confided that winning another major is really his main point of motivation these days. And yet, we continue to find him playing events such as these, where he’ll travel the globe with no real discernible advantage to gain in any of the four tournaments which start more than six months from now.

That’s both wildly unexpected and somewhat inspirational – especially if he plays well. And I’ll keep playing him for at least a high floor in these tourneys. If he’s going to go out of his way to compete in an offseason event in Japan in his 26th year as a professional, then it probably means he’s got designs on playing well and isn’t just there to do some sightseeing. 

Aggressive: Tatsunori Shogenji (+1400)

This year’s leading money winner on the Japan Golf Tour has two wins in 18 starts and nine top-10s this year, putting him comfortably ahead of Kazuki Higa and Taiga Semikawa. The 27-year-old owns less experience competing against some of the world’s best than his fellow JGT regulars, but the results speak for themselves. At 250/1 for the outright win, he’s tempting in that market, but I’d rather get him at a still very palatable number for a top-10, which has been his bread-and-butter this year.

Baycurrent Classic First-Round Leader Picks

Conservative: Eric Cole (+5000)

I was specifically asked about Cole prior to last week’s Sanderson Farms Championship and stated that while I still believe the late-bloomer will win on the PGA Tour at some point in the not-too-distant future, there was nothing in his recent profile to suggest it was coming very soon. He went into that event with 11 straight results outside the top-25, but put together a very nice performance – especially with the irons and putter – to finish T-9. I’m still not sure I’m ready to play him for an outright, though I’m close. Instead, I’ll make a single-round investment and hope he at least goes low on Thursday.

Aggressive: Patrick Rodgers (+8000)

I’m again going number-hunting here and when we delve down into the triple-digits, it reeks like a college bar before closing time – desperation and bad decisions. The likes of Max McGreevy or David Lipsky could have me somewhat intrigued in different circumstances, but instead, I’ll go with Rodgers, who owns a 100/1 number in the outright market. I still think he’s maybe, possibly going to win a PGA Tour event someday, but playing him for a single-round ticket is the preferred option, as anyone who’s ever bet Rodgers will tell you.