Full-field event for the first time in two editions. Nothing easy about the forecast or forecasting the event this week. Brendon Todd returns to defend his title.
Bermuda Championship
Port Royal Golf Course
Southampton, Bermuda
| Yards (per official scorecard): | 6,828 |
| Par: | 71 (36-35) |
| Greens: | TifEagle Bermuda, around 6,000 square feet. |
| Stimpmeter: | Tournament speed (depending on wind forecast). |
| Rough: | 419 Bermuda/St. Augustine Zoysia at two inches. |
| Bunkers/Water Hazards | 88/4 |
| Architects: | Robert Trent Jones (1970) |
| Purse: | $4 million; $720,000 plus 500 FedExCup points to the winner. |
| Defending Champion (Event): | Brendon Todd. |
| Defending Champion (Course): | Brendon Todd. |
| Fact of the Week: | First year as a stand-alone event. |
Notes:
- No WGC-HSBC Champions opposite this event in 2020.
- 132 players
- Top 65 and ties play the weekend.
2020-2021 Season Winners
*- First-time winner
**- First-time winner AND rookie winner
| Event | Winner |
| Safeway Open | Stewart Cink |
| 120th United States Open | Bryson DeChambeau |
| Corales Punta Cana Championship | Hudson Swafford |
| Sanderson Farms Championship | Sergio Garcia |
| Shriners Hospitals for Children | Martin Laird (playoff) |
| CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK | Jason Kokrak |
| ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP | Patrick Cantlay |
Check out HORSES FOR COURSES for more details and angles for this week.
Event Winners:
| Year | Player | Notes |
| 2019 | Brendon Todd (-24) | Posted 62 in the final round to erase a two-shot deficit and beat Harry Higgs (not entered) by four in the inaugural event. |
Facts and Figures:
| Tournament Record: | Todd, 260. |
| Course Record: | 62; Todd (Round 4), Scottie Scheffler (not entered, Round 1). |
| Lowest Rounds – Last Year | 63; Brendon Todd (Round 2), Wes Roach (Round 1), Hank Lebioda (Round 4). |
| Recent Defending Champion(s) Event: | N/A. |
| Multiple Winners (event or course): | N/A. |
| Oldest Winner: | N/A. |
| Youngest Winner: | N/A. |
| First Time – TOUR: | N/A. |
| First Time – Event | N/A. |
| Odd Fact: | Last major event here before 2019 was the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in 2014. |
Quick Thoughts
Most of the field has been off the last two weeks with invitational, limited-field events giving everyone minus Brendon Todd and KH Lee a breather.
Of the field of 132, 68 players make their return this week for a second bite of THE TRIANGLE.
Last season the wind died as the event went on and the scoreboard followed suit. This week it should be the opposite.
If the forecast holds, I’m looking for guys who can navigate it in the breeze and can get up and down to grind out pars.
The greens are not massive so I believe a solid short game will go a long way.
With 19 acres of fairway, there’s not much room to find it off the tee. Thankfully the rough is a very manageable two inches.
Chalk – Betting Favorites (Bet365.com) under 30-1
Yep, this is it.
Will Zalatoris (+1100): No surprise here as three of his four starts have resulted in top 10 paydays, including a top 10 at Winged Foot. If you need more evidence scroll back to his KFT finish from last year.
Brendon Todd (+1400): Nothing spectacular the last two weeks in both the invitational events. Broken toe should be feeling better. As we’ve seen in this weird season, defending isn’t as demanding with COVID regulations. The weather is the more interesting angle.
Harold Varner III (+2500): Of his last 11 events, seven have gone for T32 or better. Everyone waiting for him to kick down the door.
Doc Redman (+2500): Monster tee-to-green, his ball-striking can be the difference if it’s breezy.
Select Next Tier (33-1 and up)
Denny McCarthy (+3300): Love him on Bermuda as he’s the best in the business with the flat stick. Breezy conditions on smallish greens will put tons of pressure on his magic wand.
Emiliano Grillo (+3300): The exact opposite of McCarthy.
Kristoffer Ventura (+3300): The body of work is more interesting in the fit this week. Loyal readers of this column know my affinity here.
Peter Malnati (+3500): Pushed Garcia to the brink at SFC, where he’s won before, and followed that with 62 in Round 2 and T5 in the dome golf of TPC Summerlin. Conditions this week push me away.
Charley Hoffman (+3500): Sturdy and solid, plenty of examples of big performances in the breeze.
Cameron Tringale (+3500): The lack of penal rough will help his weekly assault on GIR. Looking for his first win and won’t mind a breeze as his T5 at last year’s Aussie Open shows. Tringale and in The Triangle? DO YOU FEEL IT?
Justin Suh (+4000): From top 10s on the LOCAiQ series to top 15 at Corales to top 10 at Shriners. Nibbles.
Henrik Stenson (+4000): The angle here is always going to be motivation. No top 20 since the restart but T21 at Corales in a similar field.
Luke List (+4000): He’ll be hoping his strength tee-to-green and off the tee stands out. His win at KFT Challenge at Sawgrass to restart the season seems forever ago but he was T8 at Corales.
Adam Schenk (+4500): The streak is now 10. The downside is there is only one top 20 (T12, Barracuda) from the bunch. Solid ball-striking should make it 11.
Henrik Norlander (+4500): Led the field in fairways and was T2 GIR last year.
Longer Shots – Top 20 or Each Way Tickets
Pat Perez (+5000): 12 rounds this year 11 are in the red. Lovely ball-striker/wind player.
Padraig Harrington (+5500): Outstanding short game and plenty of experience in the breeze. Two of his last three starts are inside the top 15 on seaside links courses.
Wesley Bryan (+6000): Steady spaghetti with six paydays in seven from the restart with half in the top 25.
Scott Stallings (+6000): Cashed in seven of his last 10 with three top 10s.
Matt Jones (+8000): Aussie in the wind? Yes, please.
Doug Ghim (+8000): Quietly T14, MC and T23 in three starts with limited status.
Beau Hossler (+9000): Rolling along because of the putter but hard to make five straight faking it. Comfortable landing this week.
Keith Mitchell (+10000): Last top 25 was Memorial, caution, but the upside is the power tee-to-green (see: Honda).
Bo Hoag (+12500): Grinder, short course, nice combo but careful.
Fabian Gomez (+14000): Birthday boy doesn’t mind breeze. 7th here last year, former winner at breezy Sony.
Kelly Kraft (+15000): Check his record at Pebble, Corales.
Rhein Gibson (+175000): T21 last time out. I pick one each week trying to catch on the way up. Aussie with breeze.
Robert Garrigus (+60000): Remember his 61 in a gale in Palm Springs. Hey man, let’s have some fun, but don’t light the diaper money on fire.
I’ll have others at Covers.com
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out through Twitter or email me mikeglasscott@gmail.com.
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