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There is not quite the same fanfare that the European Tour will experience at the DP World Tour Championship, but the regular schedule of the PGA Tour will come to an end this week at Sea Island. Of course, the American-based circuit has already started its 2021/22 season and is merely taking time out for the silly season and holiday break – and, as such, Sea Island is a good place to say farewell to the calendar year. The resort is home to many PGA Tour golfers – and for many others it is a popular spot to holiday. The tournament utilises two of the layouts there, allowing a full field to complete 72 holes before the cut in these short winter days. The Seaside Course, designed by the great Harry Colt and CH Alison in the heyday of golf architecture, hosts 54 holes (and all the weekend action). It’s a par-70 at a touch over 7,00 yards. The field plays just 18 holes pre-cut on the Plantation Course. It’s a par-72 at 7,060 that plays easier than the host course. As those numbers suggest, this is an event that offers the full field a chance – Kevin Kisner knows that. He loves telling everyone when that’s the case and winning and losing a play-off here (last year) kind of backs it up. Cameron Champ says of the test: "Length on this course is pretty much irrelevant. I’m just trying to find the fairways and middle of the greens and take my 20-footers.” Vaughn Taylor takes a slightly different view, being more forward with his approaches: “You’ve got a lot of wedges in and short irons, so you immediately get aggressive.” Brendon Todd added a valid point: “It relies on the weather, the conditions, the wind to be the teeth. Anybody could play a great round out there, whether you hit it long or short. It comes down to who approaches it well and makes putts.” And Mackenzie Hughes backs that up. “The Seaside Course kind of has some bigger fairways when there’s not any wind blowing, but when the wind’s blowing, you’ve got those crosswinds going, the fairways seem kind of small,” he said. “I think the Seaside’s more, I don’t want to say linksy but it has that linksy feel to it, and the Plantation’s a bit more tree-lined.”
Angles to consider 1/ Similar courses It pays to look at who has missed out in play-offs, as much as who has won at Sea Island. Kisner is a past winner, as well as the play-off loser last year. Webb Simpson has missed out in two play-offs. Charles Howell II is a winner. So are Heath Slocum, Ben Crane, Chris Kirk. These are all players who play ocean-side, tight-ish tracks, with Bermuda greens, very well. Think Waialae, El Camaleon and Harbour Town. 2/ Putting In the last seven years there have been, obviously, seven winners but also another eight players defeated in extra holes. Every one of them (all 15) ranked top 25 for Strokes Gained Putting and top 20 for Putting Average. 3/ Finding greens The last four winners have been accurate tee to green. Austin Cook in 2019 ranked second for Greens in Regulation, Charles Howell III was first in 2019, Tyler Duncan fourth in 2020 and Streb was seventh.
Selections The above angles have been used to create a shortlist from which the following players are selected. Harris English He’s missed a cut and had to withdraw since playing a part of Team USA’s success in the Ryder Cup, but I’m willing to trust that he wouldn’t tee it up if he couldn’t play a competitive part. Based on his form over his career and last 12 months this looks a good price. He’s won at Southwind and El Camaleon, and has top 10s at Harbour Town, Waialae, Innisbrook. In the last year he’s made the top 10 here, El Camaleon and Southwind. He’s also won at blustery Plantation and neat and tidy River Highlands. He ranks eighth in the field for Putt Average. Russell Henley He’s three times made the top 10 on the course and was T30th last year. He’s playing good golf over the last couple of years and ranks 17th for GIR in the field. His best golf comes on courses likes these. For example, this year: T11th at Waialae, third at PGA National, ninth at Harbour Town, even seventh at Sedgefield and he was also seventh last week in Houston. Could easily have been a touch shorter than this. Chris Kirk A course winner in 2013, fourth in both 2014 and 2017, another three top 20s including last year. Very nearly won at Waialae at the start of the year and thrashed a nice 64 in round one of his last start at El Camaleon. Ranks top 25 in the field for both GIR and Putting Average.
Tips: 0-3; -6.00pts 1pt e.w. Harris English at 28/1 (Unibet 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7) mc 1pt e.w. Russell Henley at 30/1 (BF Sportsbook 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8) 22nd 1pt e.w. Chris Kirk at 66/1 (BetFred 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7) mc
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