ZOZO Championship

CHIBA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Nico Echavarria birdied two of his final three holes on Sunday to record a one-stroke victory at the Zozo Championship in Japan.

Echavarria, a 30-year-old Colombian who played at the University of Arkansas, finished 3-under-par-67 on Sunday and set a tournament-record 20-under 260 at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club. He bested Tiger Woods’ total of 261 set in 2019.

“It’s incredible to win a tournament that Tiger’s won,” Echavarria said. “This is my second victory, so I just need 80 more victories to catch him. I’m on my way, though.”

Echavarria, who also won the 2023 Puerto Rico Open, edged Max Greyserman (65 on Sunday) and Justin Thomas (66) by one stroke. Echavarria pocketed $1.53 million for winning the 78-player, no-cut tournament and is projected to move to No. 65 in the FedExCup standings after beginning the week at No. 113.

“It’s surreal,” he said. “It’s been a good year for me, I just haven’t had that top result. I’ve been very consistent, I’ve learned a lot this year. To finish the year this way is, it’s incredible, especially doing it here in Japan in such an amazing country.”

Echavarria collected five birdies against two bogeys during his final round. He reached the par-5 18th in two strokes, pulled within 3 feet on his next putt before winning the tournament on his final stroke.

Thomas, who joined Greyserman in pocketing $748,000 for his T2 finish, recorded his fourth birdie of the day on the 18th hole to cap his bogey-free round. He fell just short of recording his 16th career title on the PGA Tour and the first one since winning the 2022 PGA Championship.

“Obviously bummed and disappointed, but I played so well,” Thomas said. “I played plenty well enough to win the tournament. Hit so many good putts today that just didn’t go in, that’s the difference.”

Greyserman, who was seeking his first PGA Tour title, carded four of his five birdies on the front nine. Despite strong putting, he finished as a runner-up for the third time in his past five events.

“You know, 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.”

Rickie Fowler shot a bogey-free 64 to finish in fourth place at 17-under, while Kurt Kitayama (65) ended up in fifth at 15-under. Their finishes put four Americans in the top five.

–Field Level Media

CHIBA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The PGA Tour’s fall swing heads to Asia for this week’s Zozo Championship, which begins Thursday at the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Japan.

The field is highlighted by two Zozo regulars in Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa, along with Japanese superstar Hideki Matsuyama. Our golf experts preview the event and share their favorite prop picks along with best bets to win this week.

ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP
Location: Chiba, Japan, Oct. 24-27
Course: Accordia Golf Narashino CC (Par 70, 7,079 Yards)
Purse: $8.5M (Winner: $1.53M)
Defending Champion: Collin Morikawa
FedEx Cup Champion: Scottie Scheffler

HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Wednesday-Saturday, 11 p.m.-3 a.m. ET (All times Golf Channel)
X: @ZozoChamp

PROP PICKS (not chosen by DSD)
–Doug Ghim to beat Will Zalatoris (-155 at DraftKings): Ghim has been grinding throughout the fall, with a solo second last week the latest in a string of six consecutive made cuts while his world ranking has improved from No. 137 to a career-high No. 93. Meanwhile, Zalatoris has slid to 60th as he makes his first start of the fall. He did follow four consecutive events in which he didn’t reach the weekend with a T12 and T13 in the first two legs of the playoffs.

–Gary Woodland Top 30 Finish (+105 at BetRivers): With the field limited to 72 players, Woodland only needs to beat 42 for this prop to cash. He’s pressing through the fall to earn critical status for signature events next year, and Woodland is coming off a T9 in Las Vegas following a T16 at the Sanderson Farms Championship.

–Rickie Fowler Top 20 Finish (+190 at DraftKings): This is the third fall event for Fowler, who is similarly trying to secure entry into marquee events for 2025. Following solid finishes at Sanderson (T16) and Las Vegas (T23) he arrives in Japan, where Fowler stumbled to a T64 in 2023. He arrives in better form this year and has a particular fondness for playing in Japan, where his maternal grandfather is from.