Rory McIlroy went back to the summit of world golf, after an impressive defence of the CJ Cup in South Carolina. This is the ninth time the Northern Irishman has reached world number one and the way he’s playing right now, it could be sometime before he is knocked off the perch. We go from a superb field at Congaree to a fairly weak looking one in Bermuda. We, as always, have four more each-way tips for this one. 

Bermuda Championship 2022 Tips

History

The Butterfly Bermuda Championship is another relatively modern event that dates back to 2019. The event was originally an alternate week, which went up against the mammoth WGC-HSBC Champions tournament. After successive cancellations of that event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bermuda Championship received full PGA-Tour status and an increased prize fund. However, this hasn’t really reflected in an increase in field quality. 

The total purse on offer this week is $6.5m , with $1.17m going to the winner. Last year’s winner, Australian Lucas Herbert, is not in Bermuda to defend his title. 

The Course

The Port Royal Golf Course is a Robert Trent Jones design and dates back to 1965, when construction was originally started. The course was initially called Southampton Golf Club, as it is situated in Southampton Parish, Bermuda. 

Finally opening in 1970 after several design changes and with a full renovation in 2009, ahead of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, the course is short at 6,842 yards and plays as a par-71. The main threat this week, as with many other small island courses, is the wind. If it gets up, it can be a real test of golf. The signature hole is the world famous 16th hole, which sits just above the cliffs of the Atlantic Ocean. 

The Field

We are back to a full-field event, after the last two 78-man, no cut tournaments. Irishman Seamus Power (22/1) is the highest ranked player in the field at no. 48 in the OWGR’s but it’s no. 83 Denny McCarthy who leads the betting at 16/1. Next up is Thomas Detry (18/1), Mark Hubbard (20/1) and Aaron Rai (22/1). Previous winner Brian Gay is all the way out at 150/1, if you fancy a repeat of his 2020 triumph.

Golf Odds

The nature of this course, with short rough and wide fairways, means we need to look at long accurate drivers as a bonus, while the bermuda greens mean emphasis should be placed on good putting stats and scrambling around the greens. With that in mind, I’ve avoided the very shortest prices and instead entered the field at the 33/1 mark with Adam Schenk.

1.5u Adam Schenk each-way (1/5 7 places) – 33/1

Adam Schenk was one of our picks for the Shriners Open a few weeks back and he almost rewarded us with a place, finishing T12th. He followed that up with another impressive T16th at the ZOZO to maintain a solid start to his 2022/23 campaign. 

The 30-year-old turned pro in 2015 and has had a quiet time thus far, mainly on the LatinoAmerican and Web.com (Korn Ferry) tours, yet has had a few notable top 10s on the PGA Tour. Schenk finished T26th on his only start in Bermuda, back in 2020.

1.5u Russell Knox each-way  (1/5 7 places) – 33/1

Another at the 33/1 mark, is Scot Russell Knox. The 37-year-old has had a mixed start to 2022/23, with a couple of top 25’s followed by a missed cut and a T74th in a field of 78.

Knox has two wins on the PGA, two more on the DPWT and has been as high in the world as 16th back in 2016, so clearly has the ability to win in a field as weak as this one.

The 37-year-old loves it in the wind here in Bermuda with results of T11th, T16th and T12th in his three outings to date. Knox ranks 67th for putting and 17th for SG: Approaching the Green, which should see him thread his way nicely around here again.

1.5u Greyson Sigg each-way (1/5 7 places) – 40/1

27-year-old powerhouse Greyson Sigg had a steady rookie year on tour, with five T25’s and one top 10 at the 3M Championship. However, he has started 2022/23 impressively, with three straight made cuts and a T9th at the Sanderson Farms Championship.

He ranks 17th on tour for putting and that was showcased nicely here last year, when finishing T22nd.

1u Peter Malnati each-way (1/5 7 places) – 60/1

Peter Malnati has just one tour win to-date, way back in 2015 at the Sanderson Farms Championships. However, he had a solid enough year in 21/22, with six top 25’s, including a couple of Top 10’s, one of which was a T7th finish at Port Royal.

The 35-year-old also finished T21st here back in 2020/21, so clearly loves these Bermuda greens. Malnati ranks 42nd for putting on tour this year, to follow up his excellent 57th last season.  The bucket-hatted veteran also ranks 6th for SG: Around the Green, so knows how to scramble.

Bet on the Bermuda Championship with Betfred here