Bermuda Championship 2024 Tips: Berger can smash the field

The PGA Tour moves on to Bermuda for the Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Course. As the second-to-last official event of the season, the race to be on tour in 2025 intensifies, as players strive to make it into that FedExCup top 125.

As always, here are our golf tipster Jamie Worsley's Bermuda Championship 2024 tips, as well as his usual comprehensive preview. He's coming into this one hot after picking up a 40/1 winner last week...

Eight months on from claiming the first PGA Tour title of his young career, Austin Eckroat doubled his tally in impressive fashion in last week’s World Wide Technology Championship.

Entering the final round one off the lead, Eckroat leapt to the head of the pack after making six birdies in his opening eight holes and never looked back. He added a further five birdies on his back nine and was even afforded the luxury of a clumsy bogey on the last, as Carson Young failed to convert his eagle chance that would’ve taken it to a playoff.

After a successful collegiate career, Eckroat was a player of whom big things were expected, and it will be exciting to find out what he achieves in 2025.

TOURNAMENT HISTORY

The Bermuda Championship debuted on the PGA Tour in 2019 and has been staged at Port Royal Golf Course on every occasion.

Brendon Todd won the inaugural edition, followed by fellow American Brian Gay. However, since then the event has showcased a real international flavour, with each of the last three winners hailing from different continents.

Tournament winners:

• 2023 – Winner: Camilo Villegas (-24); runner-up: Alex Noren (-22)
• 2022 – Winner: Seamus Power (-19); runner-up: Thomas Detry (-18)
• 2021 – Winner: Lucas Herbert (-15); runners-up: Patrick Reed, Danny Lee (-14)
• 2020 – Winner: Brian Gay (-15, playoff); runner-up: Wyndham Clark (-15)
• 2019 – Winner: Brendon Todd (-24); runner-up: Harry Higgs (-20)

Camilo Villegas provided us with one of the stories of the PGA Tour season in 2023, winning an emotional first title in nine years with a two-shot victory over Alex Noren. The Colombian returns to defend this week and would become the first multi-winner of the event if able to successfully do so.

THE COURSE

Port Royal Golf Course was designed by Robert Trent Jones and opened for play in 1971. It was then renovated by Roger Rulewich in 2008, who prepared the venue to host the now defunct PGA Grand Slam of Golf from 2009-2014.

The layout plays as a par 71 and measures in at a diminutive 6828 yards. It possesses 11x par 4s (350-458 yards), 4x par 3s (148-235 yards) and 3x par 5s (507-553 yards).

Situated in Southampton on the West Coast of Bermuda, the difficulty of this predominantly exposed, coastal course is dependent on any wind that may blow in from across the Atlantic, as we saw in the 2020 and 2021 editions that were won in 15-under-par. However without it, it is ripe for low scoring, and we’ve had two winning scores of 24-under-par in five years.

Port Royal Golf Course is built on sloping, hilly ground and features elevation changes throughout. There are many spectacular views on show, with a number of cliffside holes adjacent the ocean, whilst water comes into play on seven holes.

The doglegged fairways are mainly narrow, whilst those that are more generous are tightened by strong strategic bunkering. That being said, they’re not too penal to play out of, nor is the rough and it is a course that doesn’t severely punish wayward driving.

Bermudagrass covers the course, including on the large and gently undulating putting surfaces. They’re strongly protected by bunkers and limit play along the ground; however, they rank reasonably simple to hit and aren’t too demanding to scramble around.

There are countless birdie chances to be found on the par 4s and the three par 5s, with each of the latter measuring below 560 yards and two below 520. The par 3s, on the other hand, are a wholly more challenging bunch, with three of four at 210yds+ and each of the two on the back nine measuring 235 yards. This includes Port Royal’s spectacular signature hole, the 16^th, where players must hit an approach over the ocean to a long, narrow green on a peninsula, that is well protected by bunkers.

The weather is the most prominent defence at Port Royal Golf Course, and it looks like the field will have to contend with some rough conditions in this week’s Bermuda Championship.

THE WEATHER

There is rain predicted in the days preceding the start of the event and this remains a threat throughout the week. This is set to be accompanied by constantly strong winds, which are forecast to blow at around 20mph during every round and could produce gusts of close to 40mph.

KEY STATS

• SG: Approach / Greens-in-Regulation
• Scrambling
• SG: Putting (bermudagrass)

Another week and disappointingly, another event for which we have no strokes-gained data. That being said, with the forecast conditions, I have a pretty firm idea of what should be required here.

Port Royal GC is a course that doesn’t discriminate against different types of drivers. Its lack of length gives the shorter, accurate types a fighting chance, whilst it isn’t penal enough to be overly punishing of those longer, less precise types off the tee. Nothing represents this better than the challenging 2021 edition, where the short and steady Brian Gay beat the lengthy and inaccurate Wyndham Clark in a playoff.

This is a venue all about what you do into, on and around the sizeable bermudagrass putting surfaces.

Hitting the greens could be at a premium this week, and those strongest iron players in the field will give themselves the best chance of avoiding bogeys in the windy conditions. That being said, plenty will still be missed, and the short game will be called upon regularly if those forecast conditions do arrive.

Indeed, a quality short game is the main thing that ties the majority of the previous winners here together. Seamus Power, Lucas Herbert, Brian Gay and Brendon Todd all possess good short games, whilst runners-up such as Alex Noren, Patrick Reed, Wyndham Clark and Harry Higgs are no slouches on and around the greens.

CORRELATING EVENTS (COURSES)

RSM Classic (Sea Island Resort)

Both courses at Sea Island used in the RSM Classic are short, coastal setups with large bermudagrass greens. If the wind doesn’t blow, it plays easy and like the Bermuda Championship, low scoring is common.

Notable correlating form:

Camilo Villegas:

Bermuda (1^st) / RSM (2^nd)

Brian Gay:

Bermuda (1^st, 3^rd) / RSM (3^rd, 4^th)

Brendon Todd:

Bermuda (1^st) / RSM (4^th)

Seamus Power:

Bermuda (1^st) / RSM (4^th, 5^th)

Patrick Rodgers:

Bermuda (3^rd, 4^th) / RSM (2^nd)

Ollie Schniederjans:

Bermuda (3^rd) / RSM (6^th)

Ben Griffin:

Bermuda (3^rd) / RSM (8^th)

Denny McCarthy:

Bermuda (4^th, 6^th) / RSM (5^th, 8^th)

David Hearn:

Bermuda (8^th, 8^th) / RSM (9^th)

Sony Open (Waialae Country Club)

Waialae Country Club ranks closely to Port Royal Golf Course in most aspects from tee-to-green. As another short island venue with doglegging fairways and large bermudagrass greens, it looks a strong comp for this week.

Notable correlating form:

Seamus Power:

Bermuda (1^st) / Sony (3^rd)

Brian Gay:

Bermuda (1^st, 3^rd) / Sony (5^th, 6^th)

Ollie Schniederjans:

Bermuda (3^rd) / Sony (7^th)

Carl Yuan:

Bermuda (4^th) / Sony (4^th)

David Hearn:

Bermuda (8^th, 8^th) / Sony (10^th)

Wyndham Championship (Sedgefield Country Club)

Whilst Sedgefield Country Club is a densely tree-lined course situated inland, its average-width, doglegging fairways and large bermudagrass greens means that it provides a somewhat similar ball-striking and putting test to this week.

Notable correlating form:

Camilo Villegas:

Bermuda (1^st) / Wyndham (1^st)

Brian Gay:

Bermuda (1^st, 3^rd) / Wyndham (6^th)

Brendon Todd:

Bermuda (1^st) / Wyndham (7^th, 10^th)

Patrick Reed:

Bermuda (2^nd) / Wyndham (1^st)

Ollie Schniederjans:

Bermuda (3^rd) / Wyndham (2^nd)

Ben Griffin:

Bermuda (3^rd) / Wyndham (4^th, 7^th)

Doc Redman:

Bermuda (4^th) / Wyndham (3^rd)

Matt Jones:

Bermuda (4^th) / Wyndham (5^th)

Ryan Armour:

Bermuda (8^th, 8^th) / Wyndham (4^th, 8^th)

David Hearn:

Bermuda (8^th, 8^th) / Wyndham (8^th)

Cognizant Classic (PGA National)

Located on the Atlantic Coast, PGA National is an exposed course with large bermudagrass greens. It is at the mercy of the elements, with wind management often a major deciding factor.

Notable correlating form:

Camilo Villegas:

Bermuda (1^st) / Cognizant (1^st)

Alex Noren:

Bermuda (2^nd) / Cognizant (3^rd, 5^th)

Kevin Yu:

Bermuda (3^rd) / Cognizant (9^th)

Matt Jones:

Bermuda (4^th) / Cognizant (1^st)

Denny McCarthy:

Bermuda (4^th, 6^th) / Cognizant (3^rd)

David Hearn:

Bermuda (8^th, 8^th) / Cognizant (6^th)

Puerto Rico Open (Grand Reserve Country Club)

Grand Reserve Country Club is a significantly lengthier layout than Port Royal GC. Though as a largely exposed coastal/island course with average-width fairways, large greens and possessing closely-matched averages in greens-in-regulation and scrambling, it can help point us in the direction of this week’s winner.

Notable correlating form:

Danny Lee:

Bermuda (2^nd) / Puerto Rico (2^nd)

Harry Higgs:

Bermuda (2^nd) / Puerto Rico (7^th)

Kevin Yu:

Bermuda (3^rd) / Puerto Rico (7^th)

Matti Schmid:

Bermuda (3^rd) / Puerto Rico (10^th)

Matt Jones:

Bermuda (4^th) / Puerto Rico (5^th)

Vince Whaley:

Bermuda (7^th, 8^th) / Puerto Rico (9^th)

Wes Roach:

Bermuda (8^th) / Puerto Rico (4^th, 9^th)

David Hearn:

Bermuda (8^th, 8^th) / Puerto Rico (8^th)

THE FIELD

The field for this week’s Bermuda Championship welcomes just one of the world’s top 50 and 13 of the top 100. #48 Lucas Glover is the highest-ranked player in attendance, followed by the Canadian duo of Nick Taylor (#61) and Mackenzie Hughes (#63).

Camilo Villegas is back as the defending champion and one of three former winners set to tee it up, alongside 2022 winner Seamus Power and our inaugural 2019 champion, Brendon Todd.

As the second-to-last event of the season in which players can earn points to secure their status for next year, attention is firmly fixed on those around the #125 mark in the FedExCup. Vince Whaley (#123), Daniel Berger (#124) and Hayden Springer (#125) will be aiming for a strong week to solidify their spot above that threshold, whilst Dylan Wu (#126), S.H. Kim (#127) and Wesley Bryan (#128) are those nearest challengers hoping to supplant them inside the cut-mark.

Bermuda Championship Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Bermuda Championship market on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices on this tournament.

SELECTIONS

Market leaders (1/4 5 places): Mackenzie Hughes 16/1, Seamus Power 16/1, Ben Griffin 20/1, Maverick McNealy 20/1, Patrick Rodgers 20/1, Justin Lower 20/1

Due to the strength of the field, there are some unappealing prices at the top of the betting on players with little to no winning form, excluding that leading duo of Mackenzie Hughes and Seamus Power.

I considered both of those, with Power a past winner and Hughes looking a good fit, but their prices leave little room for manoeuvre, and I’ve instead opted to search for a little more value down the betting.

1.5 pts Daniel Berger each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 33/1

I’m going to begin my selections for the Bermuda Championship with Daniel Berger. He’s one of the classiest players in this field on his best form and with some improvements in recent weeks moving him inside the top 125 in the FedExCup, this strong wind player can secure his PGA Tour future with a victory in Bermuda.

Following his return to the game after over 18 months out due to a back injury, Berger has failed to find consistency on tour this season. However, he’s made five of his last six cuts, including a best-of-the-season 7^th in the Sanderson Farms Championship four starts ago and appearing to strike the ball well when 20^th in Mexico last week, his game looks in good shape.

In truth, his tee-to-green game has shown encouragement all season. He’s been especially strong off-the-tee, ranking 26^th and the irons have largely fired, ranking 11^th in greens-in-regulation and 66^th in approach. When added to his decent play around-the-greens, we find a player who ranks a more than respectable 28^th on the PGA Tour in strokes-gained tee-to-green.

The reason he’s struggled to produce a good run of results has been the putter, but he’s been improved on the greens in recent starts and as a player who has done some of his best work with the flat stick on bermudagrass, this looks a good spot for him.

Berger hasn’t played here before but he has excelled in windy conditions by the coast throughout his career. No more is this on show than at the Cognizant Classic, where he’s recorded finishes of 2^nd, 4^th and 4^th, whilst he’s also finished 2^nd in Puerto Rico. These experiences should serve him well this week and at 124^th in the FedExCup he’s got every reason to find a performance in Bermuda.

1.25 pts Kevin Yu each way (1/5 - 6 places) @ 40/1 

The talented Kevin Yu made his PGA Tour breakthrough three starts ago in the Sanderson Farms Championship, a result which has helped him into 60^th position in the FedExCup and as it stands, into those first two Signature Events next season. He again appeared in good nick at the ZOZO Championship on his latest start and coming back to a course at which he finished 3^rd on debut in 2022, he looks good value to speedily double his PGA Tour tally.

Yu was in excellent form at the beginning of the season, recording finishes of 3^rd in The AmEx and 6^th in the Farmers Insurance Open across his first three starts. His results have been a little in-and-out since, but he continued to show promise, such as finishing 4^th in the Myrtle Beach Classic and he finally got over the line in Jackson, beating Beau Hossler in a playoff.

He missed the cut on his following start in the Shriners Open but bounced back to finish 16^th in the ZOZO Championship, where he ranked 8^th in that field tee-to-green.

That strength in his T2G game should come as no surprise, as it’s an area in which he ranks 32^nd this season. His ball-striking is a particular standout, ranking 14^th off-the-tee, 15^th in greens-in-regulation and 30^th in approach.

He’s also a solid enough scrambler, which will come in handy here, but the putter does cause concern. Having said that, he putted the bermudagrass surfaces well in the Sanderson Farms Championship and he’ll hopefully relish a return to similar greens this week.

Yu had every chance of winning here on his debut in 2022, entering the final round in 3^rd and eventually settled for a finish in that position. He was in much worse form when playing this event last year, though still managed rounds of 63 and 65 on his way to finishing 30^th, and with top-10 finishes in Puerto Rico and in the Cognizant Classic to his name, this type of test clearly suits the former #1 amateur.

1 pt Nick Taylor each way (1/5 - 6 places) @ 45/1

Nick Taylor is 57^th in the FedExCup and appearing to have found form with his irons again, this proven PGA Tour winner looks an attractive price to make sure of his place inside the top 60 this week.

Taylor’s 2024 campaign will have to go down as a success, as he collected the fourth PGA Tour trophy of his career in the Phoenix Open all the way back in February. He hasn’t really looked like adding to that, suffering a slump in form with both his irons and putter, though as mentioned, the approach play has improved in recent weeks, and he comes into this after a solid sequence of results, the latest of which was a 33^rd-place finish in the ZOZO Championship.

He ranked a solid 19^th in approach there and this is the area in which he’s excelled most this season, ranking 56^th. Normally possessing a neat and tidy short game, the putter has gone missing in the second half of this season, but he has excelled on bermudagrass over the course of his career, which should be an asset at Port Royal GC.

Taylor missed the cut here on his first attempt in 2021, though was much improved when finishing 23^rd in 2022. He possesses several top 10s across the Puerto Rico Open, Sony Open and Wyndham Championship, and with his victory in the 2020 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am again showing what he can do on a breezy, coastal venue, he looks good value to contend in Bermuda.

1 pt Zac Blair each way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 100/1

soon get nervy if results go against him over the next two weeks. He’ll want to find one last performance to guarantee his place on tour and I can’t think of a more suitable course for this shorter hitter to find such a display, than Port Royal GC.

The highlight of Blair’s season is undoubtedly his 2^nd-place finish in the ISCO Championship back in July. He missed his next two cuts following that, but he’s been rock solid over his latest starts, making five of his last six cuts on tour.

He’s hitting his irons better than he has all season, ranking 24^th in this field over his last 50 rounds. His short game is a reliable asset, ranking 30^th in scrambling and 36^th around-the-greens, which will be huge if the forecast conditions arrive and as a short but straight driver, ranking 16^th in driving accuracy, he fits the bill of many of the main contenders in this event.

Blair finished 57^th on his only previous visit to this course in 2019, though his approach play wasn’t in the same shape as it is now. His excellent record in the Sony Open, where he’s recorded finishes of 3^rd and 6^th, is a plus and shows just what he’s capable of when he gets a course and conditions to suit.

1 pt Brandt Snedeker each way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 150/1

It’s been an incredibly tough couple of years for Brandt Snedeker off the course, with family bereavements and injuries understandably meaning that golf may have been the furthest thing from his mind. However, this nine-time PGA Tour winner has been making some positive noises in relation to his golf game in recent months, which has translated to some much better results. Having used each of his career money-list exemptions and a medical exemption this year, he needs a big performance to regain his full playing privileges, and I’m willing to chance this classy player at a huge price this week.

Prior to his last three starts, Snedeker had only made four out of 21 cuts this season. He found something from nowhere when teeing it up on the DP World Tour in the Czech Masters in August, finishing 12^th and he maintained those improvements when returning to the PGA Tour on his two latest starts, finishing 26^th in the Procore Championship and 16^th in the Sanderson Farms Championship when we last saw him.

He was struggling throughout the bag at the start of the season but as the year has progressed, he’s rediscovered that quality short game that he has been renowned for over his career. He’s combined this with some much improved iron play over those last three starts, where he’s started to look like the man of old.

Snedeker will tee it up in Bermuda for the first time this week. Though as a past winner of the Wyndham Championship and runner-up in the Sony Open, I suspect he’ll enjoy what he finds, and it would be apt if he could follow Villegas’ hugely inspiring comeback victory in this event last year by recording one of his own this week.