Charles Schwab Challenge: Expert Picks

Tournament Information:

Charles Schwab Challenge
Date: May 27^th – 30th
Course: Colonial Country Club
Purse: $7.5MM ($1.4MM to winner)
2020 Winner: Daniel Berger (-15)

Course

Colonial Country Club – Opened in 1936 by John Bredemus and Perry Maxwell, this 7,209 yard par 70 course runs along the Trinity River. It has a course rating of 75.1 and a slope rating of 138, putting it among the easier side of both ratings. The course is long with some well-placed bunkers around the greens, but by and large it is fairly flat with some generous fairways. Importance is placed on solid drive distances and good approaches to the green. Putting is one of the more crucial attributes here on the Bentgrass greens which are more common in Texas courses.

Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images

My Starting 4

Jordan Spieth (fourth selection this year) — Well it’s in Texas, so you’ve got that going in his favor. He has landed among the top 10 in three of the last four years here.

Tony Finau (second selection this year) — Tony has been among the top 30 golfers here in three of the last four years (he did not participate in the other year). Tony is 7^th in strokes gained tee to green, and 10^th in total strokes gained. He comes into this Charles Schwab with three top 20s across his last four tournaments.

Brian Harman (second selection this year) — Brian was among the top 25 in three of the last four years at Colonial Country Club (the other year he was 31^st). Currently 40^th in FedEx ranking, he’s 32^nd in total strokes gained and 15^th in strokes gained putting.

Justin Rose (first selection this year) – Justin was among the top 3 in two of the last three years at the Charles Schwab Challenge. Rose is currently 30^th in strokes gained putting and he was in the top 12 in three of his last four tournaments.

My Bench 2

Kevin Na (first selection this year) — Kevin was 4^th here in 2018 and he won here in 2019. Last year he was 69^th here and his putting hasn’t been the greatest. His ironwork is going well—especially the wedges—and he has two top 30s across his last four tournaments.

Rory Sabbatini (third selection this year) – Rory has been a top 20 finisher here each of the last three years. He’s putting well (61^st in strokes gained putting) but he’s been hot and cold lately with two top 30’s and three missed cuts over his last six tournaments.

Fun Fact: Each year the tournament picks two younger players to join the field and serve as their first pro tournament. Five of those selections have gone on to eventually win the tournament.

2020-2021 Stats

(1^st percent would be the top golfer picked every week)

Starting 4: average finish 39^th (30^th percent)
Bench 2: average finish 45^th (34^th percent)