Baycurrent Classic 2025 Preview, Analysis & Tips

THE PGA Tour makes its annual trip to Japan this week for the Baycurrent Classic at Yokohama Country Club. A total of 64 PGA Tour players will tee it up alongside Asia’s best golfers. There is no Scottie Scheffler but a number of Ryder Cup players are in the field.

However, the locals will all be rooting for Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama, who began the year with a sensational record-breaking victory at the Tournament of Champions. He finished the week on an incredible 35 under par.

It turned out to be his only top-10 finish to date this year so you can be certain he will be looking for a big finish to the season.

Apart from Matsuyama, the field of 68 includes Adam Scott, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele, Wyndham Clark, Min Woo Lee, Max Homa and Japanese players Ryo Ishikawa, Keita Nakajima, Taiga Semikawa, and Takumi Kanaya.

Schauffele has had a poor season after struggling to recover from injury but he finally began to show some signs of life at the Ryder Cup and will be keen to kick on. Clark has also endured a pretty miserable run of form and is another who is looking for a big finish to the season. Morikawa made a sensational start to the season, running Matsuyama close at the Tournament of Champions but his form went into decline after Russell Henley pipped him to the Arnold Palmer Invitational and he did not exactly cover himself in glory at Bethpage Black.

Twelve months ago Nico Echavarria enjoyed his second PGA Tour victory at what was then called the Zozo Championship, shooting a three-under 67 to win by a shot over Max Greyserman and Justin Thomas at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai.

Colombian Echavarria birdied two of the final three holes, including the 18th, to add to the title he won last year at the Puerto Rico Open and said his victory in 2022 gave him confidence. Thomas, who played in the final threesome with fellow American Greyserman and Echavarria, closed with a 66 as he attempted to win his first PGA Tour title in over two years.

Greyserman, looking for his first Tour win, took a one-shot lead with a 30-foot birdie on the 14th - his only birdie on the back nine. He closed with a 65 and has now been runner-up in three of his past five PGA Tour events. "I didn't quite execute down the stretch when I needed to," Greyserman said. "I mean, Nico stepped up there and he hit a great second shot [on 18]. He earned it.”

Tournament Winners

It was won in 2019 by Tiger Woods, in 2020 by Patrick Cantlay, in 2021 by Hideki Matsuyama, in 2022 Keegan Bradley, in 2023 by Collin Morikawa and last year by Nico Echavarria.

The Course

Yokohama Country Club opened in 1960 and was redesigned by Ben Crenshaw and Toby Cobb in 2015 and is essentially a tree-lined layout with many strategically-placed bunkers. It is a par 71 measuring 6,954 yards and features two par fours measuring in excess of 500 yards.

Form Guide

Although Hideki Matsuyama has not won since January he has enjoyed a consistent season, making lots of cuts and enjoying an injury-free run. He will surely be lifted by the support he will receive here.

Prize Money

The total prize fund is $8.5m with $1.5m going to the winner, along with 500 FedEx Cup points

Baycurrent Classic Picks & Tips

To win:

Hideki Matsuyama. Home favourite

Each way:

Xander Schauffele. Showed some good form at the Ryder Cup

Each way:

Keith Mitchell. Beautiful swing

Five to Follow

Hideki Matsuyama. Wants to win for local fans

Xander Schauffele. Has not a single weakness

Keith Mitchell. Big hitter

Sahith Theegala. Looking for a big finish to a disappointing campaign

Matt Wallace. Has a point to prove