Matsuyama battles in Narashino

Hideki Matsuyama fights to defend his title at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club this week. He won the tournament in 2021 by five strokes and finished as a runner-up to Tiger Woods in 2019. The 78-man field contains Keegan Bradley, who holds a 2.05 strokes gained per round mark at Narashino. Bradley won the event in 2022 and remains a strong competitor in Japan with previous T-7 and T-13 finishes. His mark at the course is the second-best of anyone with at least 12 rounds played, falling behind only Matsuyama. He is one of the better drivers on tour and will look to harness the energy of his Ryder Cup snub. Matsuyama must improve his putting to overcome his recent struggles with the flat stick. You know how much the Japanese crowd supports their local stars. Thousands of fans follow Matsuyama’s every move in Chiba as he remains the undisputed star attraction. Matsuyama, an eight-time PGA Tour winner, says he feels good after working hard to get his game back in shape. He faces a mountain to climb if he wants to retain his title.

Course layout and weather risks

The layout of Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club forces players to master extreme approach distances because the course contains five short par 4s and five long par 4s without any medium-length par 4s. The course also includes five par 3s and three par 5s. Narashino measures a little more than 7,000 yards for a par 70. Five par 3 holes stay under 200 yards, which masks some of the length. All par 5 holes exceed 560 yards. The course has tight, tree-lined fairways and multiple small greens on each hole. Weather remains a massive variable for the field. The meteorological agency reported that Typhoon Haishen packed sustained winds of 162 kilometers per hour after it battered Okinawa and the southern Kyushu island of Amami Oshima early this past Sunday. This storm, equivalent to a Category 2 hurricane, caused evacuations in Okinawa and Kyushu. Heavy rain creates risks for flooding and mudslides in mountainous regions. Haishen’s projected course has it hitting the Korean Peninsula later in the week. In previous years, storms like Hagibis caused power outages in 370,000 homes and forced people to stock up on food and water.

Field depth and stability

The field contains significant talent that threatens Matsuyama’s chances. Xander Schauffele holds a world ranking of No. 10 and has seven top-10 finishes this season. Collin Morikawa won the tournament in 2023. Sungjae Im also remains a threat after finishing third in 2019. Min Woo Lee arrives fresh off an Asian Tour victory and uses his distance as a weapon. Tom Hoge also has experience here, having finished 17th and T-9 in his only two trips to the course. Adam Svensson has earned at least 1.5 strokes ball-striking in seven consecutive starts. Joel Dahmen and Beau Hossler both finished T-16 at this venue last year. Cameron Davis is playing well at courses that he should not, having earned five top-10 finishes in his past six starts. Takumi Kanaya, the current No. 1 on the Japan Golf Tour, is also in the field to compete for the win. Matsuyama’s experience at Narashino gives him an edge over players unfamiliar with the grass. He won by five strokes in 2021. Will the wind disrupt the leaders’ rhythm? The tournament is a no-cut event with only 78 golfers.