Picking winners is easy. We had Keegan Bradley at the Zozo Championship and Rory McIlroy at CJ Cup. There’s no reason for us not to continue the streak at this week’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship, right? Well, hold the train… this is going to be one of the most unpredictable events of the year.
Why is the Bermuda Championship unpredictable? First, only nine players in this year’s field are ranked in the top 150 in the world, so there aren’t many clear “favorites.” A lot of guys will be approaching this week as a chance to change their careers, especially considering that this is now considered a full-field tournament, meaning that the winner gets a ton of great benefits. Second, the host course, Port Royal, is right on the water and subject to weather that changes by the hour. Right now the forecast calls for rain and high winds. This week’s winner might just need a little luck to avoid the worst playing conditions.
What skill set do you need to succeed at Port Royal? If the past is any indication, you’ll have to be a great putter, wind player, and above-average ball-striker with irons. The course isn’t overly long, which is why past winners include Brian Gay and Brendon Todd.
Here are three picks to consider at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship:
Denny McCarthy $10,400
Yes, McCarthy is expensive at $10,400, but the price is warranted. He is the best putter in the field by a fair margin and can make birdies by the bunch. He’s also familiar with Port Royal, having finished fourth here in 2020 and in the top 40 in his two other appearances. He has 10 top 20s in the past year, all of which came against much better fields than this. This could be the week for McCarthy to break through.
Chesson Hadley $7,600
Hadley is one of only seven players in this field to rank in the top 30 in both putting and approach play. He has played in the Bermuda Championship only once, but he finished 16th that time. He’s in good form right now, having placed in the top 10 in four of his past 11 starts.
Ben Griffin $7,200
I’m guessing not many of you realize that Ben Griffin is the No. 168 player in the world, making him the 14th highest ranked player in this field. So why did DraftKings give us such a cheap price? I have no clue. Like Hadley, Griffin ranks in the top 30 in both putting and approach—albeit in a small sample size of rounds. He has made three of his past four cuts on the PGA Tour and came in fourth at the Wyndham Championship. At this low price in a weak field, Griffin is a great option.