2024 Zozo Championship: Top 10 power rankings at Narashino CC

Golf in Japan! Players will make the trek to Tokyo this week for the 2024 Zozo Championship, with much to play for. It is a special week for Hideki Matsuyama, Takumi Kanaya, Kensei Hirata, and the other Japanese players in the field. They will be playing for something more meaningful and unquantifiable: honor.

Justin Thomas - Zozo Championship 2024 / Lintao Zhang/GettyImages

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4) Sahith Theegala

I was ready to put the young American in the eight to ten range (or perhaps even off this list). On paper, this course accentuates Theegala's weaknesses: awry off the tee, poor with the long irons, and underwhelming on bentgrass greens.

So what has Theegala done? A T5 in 2022 and a T19 in 2023. The sample size is small, but he has shown an affinity for Narashino. Maybe the cherry blossom trees bring out the best in him?

Also worth noting: Theegala flopped in Montreal, and he played the least matches out of anyone on the American side. That is sure to leave a sour taste in Captain Bradley's mouth as Bethpage nears. There is tons of golf to be played, but expect a laser-focused Theegala every time he tees it up until then.

3) Xander Schauffele

Schauffele -- and the two guys above him -- are in a clear tier ahead of every golfer in this field.

There is not much to say about Xander at this point besides that you can pencil him in anywhere, at any time to perform. He has become inevitable in the same way Scottie Scheffler is in today's game.

You can try to criticize him for his performance at the Zozo (T9 is his best in five tries), but he will probably prove you wrong yet again. Add it to a long list of "can'ts" turned to did.

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