This week on the PGA Tour, we head to Japan for the Baycurrent Classic at Yokohama Country Club, a par-71 measuring 7,322 yards. It is a really interesting golf course, with 13 par-4s, just two par-5s and three par-3s, so this is a week when I am putting plenty of emphasis on par-four scoring and strong ball striking.
I found a player that fits this profile perfectly, but here is a snapshot of my prediction before I talk about the course, and dig into my pick.
Ginger Joe’s Baycurrent Classic Prediction
| Golfer | Odds to Win |
|---|---|
| Wyndham Clark | +1600 |
Baycurrent Classic Course Analysis
The course is relatively easy to find fairways on, but creating scoring opportunities is a little more difficult, so I want players who can strike their irons well and avoid too many bogeys.
One other thing I always like to consider when we head to Japan is the short game. You have to be excellent around the greens here, because even when you hit plenty of fairways, you are not guaranteed a simple approach to the pin, and the ability to scramble and save pars can be really important.
I therefore want players who can combine good tee-to-green numbers with a reliable short game. It is also worth noting that Xander Schauffele won here last year on 19-under. That means we know there are plenty of birdies available when conditions allow, and when a player is dialled in.
I’ve got just one selection this week though, and that is because I think I’ve found a player whose game suits this course better than almost anyone else in the field. He has exactly the sort of ball-striking profile I want, while also possessing the short-game ability I think is really significant around here. It’s also a player I have backed in victory on six different occasions. I think we only need the one dart this week.
Wyndham Clark (+1600)
Wyndham Clark is the only player bettors need to back this week, and I have to say, I have an exceptionally good record when it comes to backing him. I have managed to find him for all six of his PGA Tour wins, including his two U.S. Open victories (2023 and 2026) at 100/1 and 150/1, so you can probably understand why I keep coming back to him!
When Clark is dialled in from tee to green, his game is absolutely immaculate. He hits the ball a long way, strikes it beautifully and is capable of putting himself in a position where he can completely take a golf course apart.
But what I have really liked about him in recent times is how much better the short game has become. I think he has become extremely reliable in that area. That gives him another way of winning when the long game isn’t quite at its absolute best.
We have also seen that he has the grit to win from the front if he needs to. His second U.S. Open title this year was a perfect example, as he held on wire-to-wire despite a really difficult final round. That was a different side to Clark, and it was probably just as impressive as the brilliant golf he produced earlier in the week.
So, I am going back in again. A two-time major champion with six PGA Tour wins, huge power, an elite tee-to-green game when he is on it and a short game that I think has become a real strength. I have backed him successfully every time he has won on the PGA Tour, so it would be rude not to have him onside again this week. Wyndham Clark is the only player you need to back on the PGA Tour this week.
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