After a profitable week at the Ryder Cup, with my outright tip on Europe to win and my day one morning session correct score selection both romping home, I am ready to get back to it and hunt out the value in the betting markets.
This event has a new look to it, replacing the familiar favourite ZOZO Championship as the PGA Tour's annual trip to Japan, and with a new venue we are going to have to work extra hard to make sense of the data.
Baycurrent Classic 2025 Betting Tips
Before we get started, don't forget to also check out our betting tips for the Open De Espana 2025.
Jon Rahm leads a strong field to Madrid for one of the most entertaining events on the DP World Tour, and the Golf Monthly betting panel believe they know who is going to win!
For any first time readers of my betting tips, I'm Baz. Welcome to the journey. I have years of experience writing golf betting content across the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour and LIV Golf - plus all the men's and women's Majors. I have successfully picked three of the last five men's Major winners, utilising a heavily-researched and data-driven formula which centres around a clear mantra... follow the trends! In this weekly column, I will share my best bets across one particular event of my choice. You can also find my betting tips through the Golf Monthly betting hub. Each week, I have been given 10 points to spend - and I will be transparently sharing my profit and loss each week to help you track the success of my betting tips.
Baycurrent Classic: Course Information
Yokohama Country Club, Japan
Par Score: 71
Yardage: 7,315 yards
Grass: Bentgrass (greens) and Zoysia blend (fairways and rough)
Summary: Tree-lined track that tests a player's full range of skills, with some fairways that are generous in width and others that are significantly tighter. Zoysia grass is used in the fairways and rough, which will certainly test players ability to adapt, as this blend is only sporadically seen on the PGA Tour.
Outright Winner Betting Tips
Outright Winner: Alex Noren (3pts @ +1600 with BetMGM)
Alex Noren has been playing frighteningly good golf of late, winning in two of his last three starts.
The most recent came in his last appearance, when winning the BMW PGA Championship hours before heading out to join Luke Donald's leadership team at the Ryder Cup.
While he will have surely been disappointed that his run of excellent form came too late to warrant a captain's pick, Noren will almost certainly be buoyed by Team Europe's incredible performance and historic victory in New York.
Now, following three incredibly positive experiences in September, he returns to PGA Tour action at a course which suits him perfectly.
A premium on accuracy and great ball striking at Yokohama Country Club aligns seamlessly with Noren ranking 17th for driving accuracy and 12th for Strokes Gained: Tee to green in this field (last 12 months data).
While he is one of the favourites in the market, with a price a littler shorter than I'd like, I feel he warrants being there and I'd kick myself if I missed out as all signs point to the Swedish star.
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Outright Winner: Rasmus Hojgaard (2pts @ +2200 with BetMGM)
Rasmus Hojgaard is another player who will be riding a wave of positivity following Team Europe's Ryder Cup win at the end of September, despite not scoring a point himself individually.
He returned to PGA Tour action impressively last week, finishing tied-3rd at the Sanderson Farms Championship, which was actually his third top-3 finish in his last five starts.
That result helped Hojgaard secure his PGA Tour card for another season, so he can play freely as he hunts a first tour win.
Hojgaard has won, contended and flourished on courses all around the world thanks to his time on the DP World Tour, which should also stand him in good stead as the field heads to an unfamiliar venue.
His recent strong form has seen an upturn in his accuracy off the tee, which will be important here for a player who typically favours tracks that reward length.
Hojgaard ranks 13th for SG: Approach and 4th for SG: Putting in the last three months, so has all the tools to claim a first PGA Tour win this week.
Both Hojgaard and Noren have been in incredible form recently
Sleeper Betting Tips
Sleeper: Gary Woodland (1pt @ +5000 with BetMGM)
Gary Woodland, in contrast to the elation experienced by Noren and Hojgaard, will naturally have hoped for better as part of Keegan Bradley's leadership team at Bethpage Black.
He can, however, use that disappointment as fuel for his own Ryder Cup charge and will no doubt be targeting qualification for the 2027 tournament in Ireland.
Prior to the Ryder Cup, Woodland was in a pretty decent run of form.
Three consecutive top-23 finishes is a marked improvement on recent efforts, with much better consistency after achieving just one top-20 finish since he was runner-up in Texas earlier in the season.
In the last 3 months, Woodland ranks 23rd for driving accuracy, 12 for SG: Approach and 8th for SG: putting (in this field), suggesting he is trending the right direction.
I believe he is coming into this event under the radar, but I am willing to back him with a small stake in the hope things click at Yokohama Country Club.
Attention shifts back to playing for Gary Woodland after being part of Keegan Bradley's leadership team at Bethpage Black
Top-10 Finish Betting Tips
Top-10 Finish: Michael Kim (4pts @ +300 with BetMGM)
Michael Kim surged to victory on the final day of the Open De France a couple of weeks ago, which was an event held on another track that was fiddly and tight in places.
Kim has actually played some great golf this year, finishing in the top-10 on four occasions on the PGA Tour including at the second FedEx Cup Playoff event, the BMW Championship.
Kim is reasonably accurate off the tee, ranks 6th for SG: Approach in the last three months and has recent winning form - so I can see him banking another top-10 finish as momentum continues to build.
Michael Kim is having a great season, but could it be about to get a whole lot better?
Who Else Is The GM Betting Panel Backing?
Jonny Leighfield is our Staff News Writer who joined Golf Monthly just in time for the 2023 Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup. He graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sport Journalism in 2017 and spent almost five years as the sole sports reporter at his local newspaper. During his time with Golf Monthly, Jonny has interviewed several stars of the game, including Robert MacIntyre, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, and Joaquin Niemann.
Alex Noren (+1600 with BetMGM)
At a new course that no one has played, recent form may count for plenty, so I'm selecting Alex Noren as he is arguably the most in-form player in this limited field.
Noren won two of his past three starts and was inside the top-10 in the couple before that as well.
Plus, the Swede has performed reasonably well in Japan previously, picking up two top-20s at the Zozo Championship in 2021 and 2022.
His accuracy-over-power style will hopefully lend itself nicely to this shorter course and Noren might be able to give himself a run at a third title in quick succession.
Emiliano Grillo (+4500 with BetMGM)
When I checked out Grillo's past performances in Japan, it's fair to say I was quite surprised.
A couple of underwhelming display in his first two cracks behind him, the Argentinian then went solo fourth and T10th thereafter.
Another player whose talents lie in accuracy over power, Grillo returned from a break post-FedEx Cup Playoffs with a T4th at the Procore Championship prior to a MC last time out.
But with cut pressure absent this week, I'm hopeful Grillo will continue his strong run in the land of the rising sun.
Who Are You Backing This Week?
So, those are Bazza's best bets for the Baycurrent Classic 2025 - but, who are you backing for success?
Drop us your thoughts in the comments box below and share your formula for finding the champion.
How Does The 'Points' Stake System Work?
A point will represent different amounts of money to different people. I could bet one point, which represents $1 or £1, but to someone else that point could mean $10 or £10 (or $100/£100).
The stakes represent my confidence in the selection, but only you can determine how much (if any) you want to risk on any particular bet. You could also use the stakes as your own imaginary staking system - just for fun without the financial outlay.
Never spend more than you can afford and be sure to gamble responsibly.
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