|
A sixth edition of the PGA Tour's annual visit to Bermuda, home of the grass which plays such a part of course conditioning on the circuit. It’s not just the grainy greens that figure here – this course sits on the cliff tops and charts a progress up and down undulating terrain. What to expect of the wind? Seamus Power, winner in 2022, said: “For the most part you’re kind of expecting it 10, 15 or more. The course is designed for it, which I like. It kind of helps you picture some of the shots with wind directions.” The 2020 winner Brian Gay said: “I think it’s a combination of the weather, just similar to Florida. I grew up on Bermuda grass which the whole course is here.” Power, of course, grew up in Ireland and Gay has long been a very fine player of short courses by the sea, with lots of wind and those grainy greens. 2022 winner, the Aussie Lucas Herbert, is a supreme putter who likes playing windy tracks. The other winners are the first and the most recent. The first was Brendon Todd who went back-to-back by heading to El Camaleon two weeks later (grainy greens, by the sea, short) and winning while last year’s winner Camilo Villegas went in the opposite direction – he arrived off just missing out by the sea in Mexico. For the most part these players are still seeking to improve their 2025 playing options so there is plenty of incentive.
Angles to consider 1/ Robert Trent Jones Sr. The course is designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. Villegas had already won on an RTJ Sr. track. Power had multiple top 20s and Gay two thirds. Recent runners-up Alex Noren and Thomas Detry had top 10s. 2/ Form Top 10s on breezy seaside tracks looks a good pointer in the year before. Villegas had finished top 10 in Mexico the week before, Power had done so at Pebble Beach, Herbert twice in the Scottish Open and Gay in Bermuda the year before. Runners-up had done similar: Noren at Yas Links, Detry in the Scottish Open, Patrick Reed at Torrey Pines. 3/ A warm putter Winners here have ranked 11th, third, tenth, sixth and third for Putting Average but they have also shone at least once in that department in the weeks leading up to their win.
Selections The above angles have been used to create a shortlist from which the following players are selected. Matti Schmid The German was second at RTJ Sr.’s Sotogrande shortly before finishing third at Port Royal last year when he put up a decent battle for the title. He’s also taken a real shine to these second grade PGA Tour event by the sea off the east coast of the States finishing tenth at Grand Reserve in this year’s Puerto Rico Open and 11th at Corales in the Corales Puntacana Championship. In recent weeks he has been fifth in the Black Desert Championship and third in the Shriners Children’s Open. He also putted well in the Sanderson Farms Championship. Kevin Yu He was third here at Port Royal in 2022, carded a 63 there in 2023, and was fourth at RTJ Sr.'s The Dunes in May’s Myrtle Beach Classic. He was sixth by the ocean at Torrey Pines this year and he ranked first for Putting Average when winning the Sanderson Farms Championship in October. David Lipsky He ranked first for Putting Average at the recent Procore Championship (when second) and was 21st two starts ago. Last week he rushed home for sixth place in Mexico. He’s finished fifth at Royal Dar es Salam and fourth at Valderrama – both of them RTJ Sr. tracks. He was also 13th at Port Royal last year.
Tips: 0-3; 6.00pts 1pt e.w. Matti Schmid at 33/1 (Unibet, BetMGM, LiveScoreBet 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6) 61st 1pt e.w. Kevin Yu at 40/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook, Ladbrokes, Coral 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8) mc 1pt e.w. David Lipsky at 60/1 (Paddy Power, Boylesports 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8) 9th
|
