The Bermuda Championship is Here! Get Ready for Some Exciting Golf
Port Royal Golf Club is set to host the 34th edition of the annual Butterfield Bermuda Championship, and it promises to be one of the most intriguing golfing spectacles of the season. While competing with LIV Golf’s final tournament of the year, the beautiful coastal track with windy conditions should put on a show. Here are three things you need to know about the event ahead of the start date.
The Bermuda Championship, hosted by LIV Golf, is a premier golf tournament held in the stunning island setting of Bermuda. This prestigious event brings together top golfers from around the world to compete in a challenging and picturesque course, showcasing their skills and vying for the championship title. With its breathtaking backdrop and world-class competition, the Bermuda Championship promises excitement and unforgettable moments for both players and spectators alike.
1. The venue
Located in Southampton, Bermuda Championship, the course features a mix of open fairways and tight pin placements, making it perfect for players of all skill levels. While the course itself isn’t particularly challenging, it does offer plenty of opportunities for birdies, especially off the tees. The layout is also home to several bunkers, including three large greenside bunkers, while there are numerous water hazards throughout the course.
2. The history
A Robert Trent Jones Sr. Designed by architect Robert Trent Jones Jr., Port Royal debuted in 1970. It underwent its first renovation in 1995 and then again in 2009 before hosting the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. As with most things in Bermuda, the history of Port Royal is quite fascinating.
The Port Royal story involves disgruntled farmers and disagreements over the ownership of the property that led to changes in the course design. However, all the redirection led to the construction of the famous and heavily photographed 16th hole.
3. The conditions
Temperatures typically average around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, although it can sometimes reach upwards of 90 degrees. Rainfall is common, too, with an average of 4 inches falling each day during the tournament period. However, strong winds are another factor to consider, as gusts often exceed 20 miles per hour.
Tournament & Golf Course Course Specs
Course: Port Royal Golf Course
Purse: $6.5m
Yards: 6,828
Par: 71 (4x 3’s / 11x 4’s / 3x 5’s)
Greens: Bermuda
Architect: Robert Trent Jones
Historical Cut Line: Even
Median Score 4-round Score: -2 (2021), -9 (2020)
Comp Courses: Waialae CC, Pebble Beach, Harbour Town, Coco Beach, Bay Hill, El Camaleon, PGA West, Sea Island GC, Sedgefield CC
Past Winners: Brian Gay (21), Brendon Todd (20)
Butterfield Bermuda Championship Picks and Predictions
Adam Schenk (+5000)
Adam Schenk ranked third in strokes gained approach for this week’s field over his last 36 rounds. He’s one of the betting favorites coming off a 16th-place finish at the Zozo Championship, and before that, had finished 12th at the Shriners Hospital for Children Open. That week, he gained 1.4 strokes putting, 5.6 strokes on approach shots, and 1.7 strokes off the tee. Adam has been special with his irons recently. Schenk finished 26th at Port Royal last year, 7th place at the Corales Punta Cana Championship, and 14th at the Puerto Rico Open. Achenk looks to me like a player who is more than confident on coastal courses with slower greens. I think Schenk could be near the top of the leaderboard late in the afternoon on Sunday.
Chesson Hadley (+6000)
I was surprised by Chesson Hadley’s performance last week, but after further analysis, I feel extremely optimistic about his prospects this week. Hadley is the one person who ranks among the top 10 in this field in putting on Bermuda, iron play, and approach shots. Hadley, 35 years old, recently finished 37th at the Shriners Hospital for Children Open, gaining three strokes on approach shots and nearly 5 strokes putting. This will be the first time Hadley returns to Port Royal after placing 16th in 2020. After seeing him win at the Puerto Rico Open and finishing inside the top 20 at Pebble Beach multiple times, I have no doubt Hadley will continue to thrive on shorter, wedged, coastal courses.
Brice Garnett (+9500)
Brian won his sole PGA Tour event at the Corales Punta Cana tournament in 2018, where he also finished ninth overall. He’s finished 11th or better at Mayakobo twice, and two top tens in Puerto Rico. His only event in Bermuda was two years ago posting a final-round 65 to place T21.
It’s not an outright pick where I’m saying you need to borrow $10,000 from your parents. Instead, I like him as a piece of your card which should include other golfers with some larger odds.
Bermuda Championship Field and Odds
Denny McCarthy +1600
Thomas Detry +1600
Seamus Power +1800
Nick Hardy +2000
Adrian Meronk +2100
Mark Hubbard +2400
Justin Lower +2400
Patrick Rodgers +2800
Aaron Rai +2800
Russell Knox +3100
Seonghyeon Kim +3100
Robby Shelton +3300
Alex Smalley +3400
Stephan Jaeger +3700
Nick Taylor +3700
Greyson Sigg +4000
Callum Tarren +4100
Will Gordon +4200
Lucas Glover +5000
Byeong Hun An +5000
Joseph Bramlett +5000
Adam Long +5000
Adam Schenk +5000
Ze-Cheng Dou +5000
Garrick Higgo +5000
Brandon Wu +5000
Harry Hall +5000
Chun-an Yu +5000
Cameron Percy +5000
Sam Ryder +5500
Michael Gligic +6000
Chesson Hadley +6000
Erik Van Rooyen +6000
Peter Malnati +6500
C.T. Pan +6500
Sam Stevens +6500
Doug Ghim +6500
Henrik Norlander +6500
Ryan Armour +6500
Tyler Duncan +6500
Matthias Schwab +8000
Charley Hoffman +8000
Kramer Hickok +8000
Vincent Norrman +8000
Scott Piercy +8000
Chad Ramey +8000
MJ Daffue +8000
Hank Lebioda +8000
Brian Gay +9500
Nate Lashley +9500
Austin Eckroat +9500
Brian Stuard +9500
Austin Smotherman +9500
Brice Garnett +9500
Robert Streb +11000
Matthias Schmid +11000
Fabian Gomez +11000
Luke Donald +11000
Ben Taylor +11000
Harrison Endycott +12000
Ben Griffin +12000
Cody Gribble +12000
Ben Martin +12000
Michael Kim +12000
Austin Cook +12000
William McGirt +12000
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