First things first. Get your teams in on time!

While the Baycurrent Classic sounds like a standard PGA Tour event, it’s the tournament formerly known as the ZOZO Championship.

And that means the location is Japan – which is eight hours ahead of the UK.

It means tee-times are late Wednesday for those of us on these shores. For the record they hit away (from the 1st and 10th) at 10.45pm UK time Wednesday.

Only 78 players take part and they’re headed by Xander Schauffele at 22M.

A few of the local Japanese players in this co-sanctioned event know the course, Yokohama Country Club, which is being used for the first time in this event.

It’s a fairly typical track for the region – parkland, tree-lined and not too long (7,315-yard par 71).

For those new to the FanTeam game, the captain scores x1.25pts, as does the UD (Underdog), the cheapest player in your six-man squad.

Getting both right makes a big difference.

Also note that there is no cut this week so everyone gets all four rounds.

Before looking through the Baycurrent Classic field, let’s start with a SPECIAL OFFER below!

Get £42 in entries for simply depositing £10 and playing any cash game.

Okay, let’s start building…

Top Tier Picks (18M and over)

Xander Schauffele (22M) was a red-hot favourite for this last year (around 9/2) having won two majors that season. He’s not been in that form this time but did emerge as joint-top USA scorer in the Ryder Cup with three wins from his four matches. And while he never quite clicked at this event’s previous venue, Narashino, he did win Olympic gold at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. That was extra special given that his mother grew up in Japan.

Hideki Matsuyama (20.4M), like Schauffele, has had a slightly strange year. He started 2025 with a bang, carding a million birdies en route to victory at The Sentry, but has never really threatened to taste victory again. Perhaps this return home will inspire him and he can really turn it on in Japan, as shown by his win in this tournament in 2021. He’s been in solid form for a few months now and last time out was 13th in the BMW PGA at Wentworth after holding the halfway lead. Matsuyama looks close to clicking and this would be the ideal place.

Others to consider: Si Woo Kim (19.2M) posted sixth in this event at Narashino last year and was last seen finishing fifth in strong company at Wentworth. His SG: Tee-To-Green numbers are exceptional. Alex Noren (19.6M) is having the time of his life after winning the British Masters in August, the BMW PGA Championship in September and being a vice-captain on the triumphant European Ryder Cup team.

Mid-Range Value Selections ($14.2m up to 18m)

Gary Woodland (16.4M) was also a Ryder Cup vice-captain, albeit on the losing side. But he loved being part of the action at Bethpage and arrives in Japan on the back of three straight top 20s. One of the more travelled American players, he boasts some exceptional form in the Far East.

Max Homa (17.8M) is definitely finding his feet again on a more consistent basis and two Fall Series starts have resulted in a pair of top 20s. Sitting out the Ryder Cup will likely have fired him up further and the six-time PGA Tour winner also has some form in Japan via a top five in the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament.

Others to consider: Garrick Higgo (17.4M) almost became a three-time PGA Tour winner last week but was overtaken by the fast-finishing Steven Fisk. The South African now has a second and a seventh in the Fall Series. Fellow South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout (16.8M) finished sixth at the Sanderson Farms to record a sixth top 20 in his last 11 worldwide starts. He was third at the 2024 ISPS Handa Championship on his most recent visit to Japan. Perhaps a return to Asian soil will help Tom Kim (15.6M) continue his climb back up the world rankings after a promising 11th last week. Note his fourth at the Dunlop Phoenix the last time he played in Japan.

Underdog Options (14m and Under)

Sahith Theegala (13.6M) could be a bargain here if he can build on his 38th at the Procure where he ranked 8th for both Tee To Green and Approach. Theegala is making some very positive noises after an injury-ridden season and he boasts a previous top five in this event.

Keita Nakajima (13.8M) is one of 17 Japanese golfers in the field and a player who has a real chance of making an impact. The 25-year-old, a former World Amateur No.1, is a course winner having landed the Japan Tour’s Yokohama Minato Championship here in 2023 and he enjoyed a good August on the DP World Tour with fourth at the British Masters backed up by 17th at the European Masters in Switzerland.

Others to consider: Taiga Semikawa (13M) has six straight top sevens on the Japan Tour and was runner-up to Nakajima in that 2023 Yokohama Minato event here two years ago. And, yes, he is named after Tiger Woods! Ren Yonezawa (12.4M) won last year’s Yokohama Minato Championship with a record score of 22-under so should get some good vibes on his return to the course.

That’s this week in the books from a fantasy perspective.

But while I’m here, I’ll point you towards the revamped and much-boosted FanTeam Sportsbook.

Let’s have a couple of bets too.

In the winner only outright market, I’ll go with Hideki Matsuyama at 17.00. That could look a great price if the local hero is on one of his hot weeks.

There’s also a winner w/o Morikawa, Matsuyama and Schauffele offering.

With the top three taken out, I’ll be heading to Si Woo Kim at 18.00.

Good luck and don’t forget to SIGN UP HERE

18+, Gamble Responsibly