2024 Puerto Rico Open – Preview & Picks

This week, the PGA TOUR shifts its focus to Río Grande, Puerto Rico, for the 2024 Puerto Rico Open.

Let’s get into this week’s storylines…

Aaron Wise, the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 2018, is set to make his comeback after taking a hiatus for mental health reasons. His last professional event was the 2023 U.S. Open.

Among the notable participants in the field are defending champions Nicolas Echavarria (’23), Ryan Brehm (’22), Martin Trainer (’19), D.A. Points (’17), Scott Brown (’13), and George McNeill (’12). Adrien Dumont de Chassart, the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour Rookie of the Year, will also compete in this week’s event. Additionally, previous Major winners Jason Dufner and Jimmy Walker will be present at the Grand Reserve Country Club.

The “Puerto Rico Open” curse remains intact. Over the past fifteen years, only three of the previous fifteen winners have managed to secure victories on the PGA Tour after their triumph at this event. These exceptions include Viktor Hovland (2020), Tony Finau (2016), and Michael Bradley (2011, 2009). However, Bradley’s case is somewhat ambiguous since he won the event twice but failed to secure another victory on the PGA Tour after his 2011 win. As the Puerto Rico Open evolves and attracts stronger fields with burgeoning talent, we may see this “curse” gradually diminish, but its persistence remains intriguing.

 

Tournament Information:

• Dates: March 7th, 2024 – March 10th 2024
• Location: Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
• Course: Grand Reserve Golf Club
• Course Type: Resort/ Coastal
• Par: 72 (4x 3’s / 10x 4’s / 4x 5’s)
• Length: 7,506 Yards
• Format: 72-hole stroke play
• Greens: Seadwarf Paspalum
• Fairways: Seashore Paspalum
• Rough: Seashore Paspalum 2.5″
• Bunkers: 63
• Water Hazard(s): – (In-Play on 12 Holes)
• Average Green Size: 6,500 sq. ft.
• Stimpmeter: 11.0 ft.
• Purse/ Winner: $4,000,000 /$720,000
• FedEx Cup Points: 300
• Field: 132 Players
• Cut: Top 65 & Ties – 36 Holes
• Playoff Format: Sudden Death
• Course Scoring Average:
  • 2023: 71.25 (-0.75), Rank 27 of 49
  • 2022: 71.34 (-0.66), Rank 23 of 50
  • 2021: 71.23 (-0.77), Rank 28 of 51
• Historic Cut Line:
  • 2023: E
  • 2022: E
  • 2021: E

 

 

Comparable Courses & Greens:

TV Information (all times ET):

• Round 1: Thursday, March 7th, 2024
  • Golf Channel – 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

• Round 2: Friday, March 8th, 2024
  • Golf Channel – 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

• Round 3: Saturday, March 9th, 2024
  • Golf Channel – 2:30 PM – 5:00 PM

• Round 4: Sunday, March 10th, 2024
  • Golf Channel – 2:30 PM – 5:00 PM

 

Weather:

• Thursday: Mostly Sunny 85 F, 12 mp/h ESE, 71% Humidity, 12% Chance of Rain
• Friday: Mostly Sunny 87 F, 10 mp/h ESE, 72% Humidity, 15% Chance of Rain
• Saturday: PM Showers 86 F, 10 mp/h E, 75% Humidity, 33% Chance of Rain
• Sunday: Mostly Sunny 85 F, 10 mp/h E, 75% Humidity, 22% Chance of Rain

 

Course/ Tournament History:

The original Puerto Rico Open was played between 1956 and 1967, serving as a fixture on the PGA-sponsored Caribbean Tour until 1965. After that, sponsors moved the event to later in the calendar year. The Puerto Rico Open was resurrected as a stop on the Tour de las Américas in 2004 and 2005 before transitioning into a PGA Tour event in 2008.

Since joining the PGA Tour, this event has found its home at the Grand Reserve Country Club. Formerly known as Trump International Puerto Rico and also Coco Beach Resort, the Grand Reserve Country Club boasts two 18-hole courses: the “Championship” and the “International”. This week’s tournament will be held on the “Championship” course.

The victor of the Puerto Rico Open earns 300 FedEx Cup points and 24 Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points. Despite being an alternate event, the winner does not secure a spot in the Masters but does receive a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour and entry into the PGA Championship as a Tour winner.

Additionally, the Puerto Rico Open is granted eight extra sponsor exemptions. Four of these are reserved for players from Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America, while the remaining four are unrestricted.

• Most Wins at Event:
  • 2, Michael Bradley (2009, 2011)
• 72-Hole Record:
  • 267, Chesson Hadley (2014), Nico Echavarria (2023)
• 18-Hole Record:
  • 62, Jhonattan Vegas (Round 4, 2020)

 

Course Guide/ Scorecard:

Originally designed by Tom Kite in 2006, the ‘Champion’ Course at Grand Reserve Country Club boasts a standard Par 72 layout with four Par 3’s, ten Par 4’s, and four Par 5’s.

Stretching across 7,506 yards, the Champion Course stands as one of the lengthiest courses on the PGA Tour. Drivers capable of hitting long distances will hold a notable advantage, as this week emphasizes distance over accuracy off the tee. With the rough measuring a modest 2.5 inches, it poses less of a threat, while the generous average green size of 6,500 square feet enhances the course’s playability.

This event tends to be a “birdie fest,” judging from previous winners’ scores. The primary defenses of the course lie in water hazards, which come into play on 8 holes, and the wind that blows in from the Atlantic Ocean.

Featured/ Signature Hole(s): 12

 

Key Statistics:

Statistics	PGA Tour Average	Grand Reserve Golf Club
Driving Distance (Yards)	283.68	–
Driving Accuracy	62%	61%
GIR Percentage	66%	68%
Avg GIR Prox to Hole (Feet)	29.17	–
Scrambling Percentage	58%	62%
Avg 3 Putts / Round	0.55	0.39

 

• Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
  • Success this week will hinge on players’ ability to position themselves effectively off the tee.
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • MJ Daffue (Total: +17.66, Per Round: +0.74)
    • Cameron Champ (Total: +16.31, Per Round: +0.68)
    • Alejandro Tosti (Total: +13.16, Per Round: +0.63)
    • Taiga Semikawa (Total: +10.65, Per Round: +0.71)
    • Tyler Duncan (Total: +12.78, Per Round: +0.53)

 

• Strokes Gained: Approach
  • Having a strong iron game will be important this week if players want to succeed. Outside of Nicolas Echavarria, the past four winners all came into this event gaining strokes on approach in their last few events.
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Russell Knox (Total: +20.12, Per Round: +0.84)
    • Christiaan Bezuidenhout (Total: +14.80, Per Round: +0.62)
    • Kelly Kraft (Total: +14.10, Per Round: +0.59)
    • Ted Potter Jr. (Total: +13.59, Per Round: +0.57)
    • Brandon Wu (Total: +12.19, Per Round: +0.51)

 

• Strokes Gained: Ball Striking
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Joel Dahmen (Total: +19.32, Per Round: +0.80)
    • Kelly Kraft (Total: +17.37, Per Round: +0.72)
    • Aaron Rai (Total: +15.86, Per Round: +0.66)
    • Daniel Berger (Total: +14.94, Per Round: +0.62)
    • Russell Knox (Total: +14.84, Per Round: +0.62)

 

• Strokes Gained: Putting (Paspalum)
  • The green complexes at Grand Reserve Golf Club are Seadwarf Paspalum.
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Brandon Wu (Total: +17.66, Per Round: +1.47)
    • Ben Silverman (Total: +9.92, Per Round: +2.48)
    • Aaron Baddeley (Total: +12.01, Per Round: +1.20)
    • Cameron Champ (Total: +14.06, Per Round: +1.17)
    • Scott Brown (Total: +7.42, Per Round: +1.24)

 

• Driving Distance
  • Grand Reserve Country Club is listed at 7,506 yards making it one of the longer courses on the PGA Tour. There isn’t a ton of hazards on the course so off the tee players will comfortably take a rip with their driver on most holes.
  • Leaders in this category in the 2024 Season:
    • Cameron Champ
    • Chris Gotterup
    • Kevin Dougherty
    • Martin Trainer

 

• Par 3 Scoring: 200-225 Yards (x2)
  • Two of the four Par 3’s at Grand Reserve Golf Club range between 200-225 Yards.
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Brian Stuard (Total: +6.31, Per Round: +0.26)
    • Ben Silverman (Total: +6.06, Per Round: +0.25)
    • James Hahn (Total: +5.95, Per Round: +0.25)
    • McClure Meissner (Total: +4.67, Per Round: +0.36)
    • Ben Crane (Total: +5.59, Per Round: +0.23)

 

• Par 4 Scoring: 400-450 Yards (x6)
  • Six of the ten Par 4’s at Grand Reserve Golf Club range between 400-450 Yards.
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Patton Kizzire (Total: +13.20, Per Round: +0.55)
    • Christiaan Bezuidenhout (Total: +13.01, Per Round: +0.54)
    • Chan Kim (Total: +12.47, Per Round: +0.52)
    • Ben Kohles (Total: +12.09, Per Round: +0.50)
    • Nicolas Echavarria (Total: +8.69, Per Round: +0.36)

 

• Par 5 Scoring: 500-550 Yards (x2), 600-650 Yards (x2) 
  • Two of the four Par 5’s at Grand Reserve Golf Club range between 500-500 Yards. The other two Par 5’s range between 600-650 Yards.
  • Leaders in Par 5 Scoring: 500-550 Yards in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Zecheng Dou (Total: +8.06, Per Round: +0.34)
    • Paul Barjon (Total: +6.87, Per Round: +0.29)
    • Max Greyserman (Total: +5.51, Per Round: +0.79)
    • Ben Griffin (Total: +6.86, Per Round: +0.29)
    • Kyoung-Hoon Lee (Total: +6.17, Per Round: +0.26)

• • Leaders in Par 5 Scoring: 600-650 Yards in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Chan Kim (Total: +8.69, Per Round: +0.36)
    • Kevin Chappell (Total: +7.10, Per Round: +0.30)
    • Aaron Wise (Total: +6.81, Per Round: +0.28)
    • MJ Daffue (Total: +6.32, Per Round: +0.26)
    • Cameron Champ (Total: +5.67, Per Round: +0.24)

 

• Proximity Gained: 200+ Yards
  • Since Grand Reserve Country Club is over 7,500 Yards, most approach shots come from the 200+ yard range. Long iron play will be key to victory this week.
  • Leaders in Proximity Gained from 200+ yards in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Tommy Gainey (Total: +504.72, Per Round: +21.03)
    • Daniel Berger (Total: +369.57, Per Round: +15.40)
    • Robert Macintyre (Total: +364.46, Per Round: +15.19)
    • Wilson Furr (Total: +291.80, Per Round: +26.53)
    • Austin Smotherman (Total: +329.08, Per Round: +13.71)

 

• Birdies or Better Gained
  • The last four winners of this event have had a winning score of -19 or better. To have a chance at winning this event, players are going to need to take advantage of every scoring opportunity.
  • Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
    • Justin Suh (Total: +20.41, Per Round: +0.85)
    • Michael Kim (Total: +16.39, Per Round: +0.68)
    • Garrick Higgo (Total: +13.50, Per Round: +0.56)
    • Seonghyeon Kim (Total: +13.30, Per Round: +0.55)
    • Samuel Stevens (Total: +12.94, Per Round: +0.54)

 

• Comparable Courses and Event History
  • Looking at the Data Golf Course History Tool, good course history is indicative of success at Grand Reserve Country Club.

• •  Leaders in this category in the last (Multiple Events Played):
    • Brandon Wu (2 Events – 68.63 Scoring Average)
    • Ryan Brehm (4 Events – 68.86 Scoring Average)
    • Nate Lashley (3 Events – 68.92 Scoring Average)
    • Vincent Whaley (2 Events – 69.00 Scoring Average)
    • Wesley Bryan (2 Events – 69.63 Scoring Average)

 

The Field/ Odds:

This year’s Puerto Rico Open will see 132 players vying for victory. Despite being an opposite-field event, the competition boasts a fairly strong field. Here are the current favorites for this week’s tournament:

Rasmus Hojgaard (+1400) has kicked off the 2024 season on the DP World Tour with impressive momentum. Across his five starts, he’s consistently performed, never falling below T11. His highlight came with a runner-up finish at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship. This marks his debut appearance at Grand Reserve Country Club.

Aaron Rai (+2000) is set to debut at the Puerto Rico Open. His 2024 season commenced with a T57 finish at the Sony Open in Hawaii. However, he encountered difficulty, missing the cut in two of his next three events. Rai concluded his recent outing with a T19 finish at the Mexico Open.

Daniel Berger (+2200) made a comeback to the PGA Tour at The American Express earlier this season after undergoing back surgery. He secured a T39 finish in that event. However, subsequent tournaments saw mixed results, as he missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open and landed a T28 finish at the WM Phoenix Open. Last week, at the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches, he missed the cut again. Notably, in his sole prior appearance at this event, he secured a T2 finish in 2019.

Ryo Hisatsune (+2500) kicked off the 2024 season impressively, securing a spot inside the top 40 in each of his initial three events. Among them, he shone with a notable T11 finish at The American Express. However, his recent outings saw a slight dip in form, as he missed the cut at the WM Phoenix Open and managed a T48 finish at the Mexico Open in his latest appearance. Notably, this marks his debut at Grand Reserve Country Club.

Chris Gotterup (+2500) faced challenges at the outset of the 2024 season. His campaign began with a missed cut at The American Express, followed by a modest improvement with a T50 finish at the Farmers Insurance Open. However, his recent performances haven’t been as favorable, as he missed the cut at the WM Phoenix Open and withdrew from the Mexico Open. Notably, in his sole appearance at the Puerto Rico Open, he impressed with a T7 finish in 2022.

 

• Previous Winners in the Field:
  • Nicolas Echavarria (’23), Ryan Brehm (’22), Martin Trainer (’19), D.A. Points (’17), Scott Brown (’13), George McNeill (’12)

• Debutants in the Field (Event):
  • Aaron Rai, Aaron Wise, Adam Long, Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Angel Ayora, Aram Yenidjeian, Blaine Hale, Jr., Cameron Champ, Domenico Germiniani, Evan Pena, Fred Bondi, Gareth Steyn, Garrick Higgo, Harrison Endycott, Hayden Springer, Jackson Van Paris, Jacob Bridgeman, Jimmy Stanger, Joe Highsmith, Jorge Campillo, Julian Perico, Justin Hastings, Kelvin Hernandez, Kevin Dougherty, Lin Yuxin, Mac Meissner, Matthias Schmid, Max Greyserman, Norman Xiong, Parker Coody, Patrick Fishburn, Patton Kizzire, Pierceson Coody, Rasmus Hojgaard, Raul Pereda, Rico Hoey, Robert MacIntyre, Ryo Hisatsune, Seonghyeon Kim, Taiga Semikawa, Tom Whitney, Trace Crowe, Wilson Furr,

• Players with Puerto Rico ties in the Field:

• • Birthplace:
    • Rafael Campos
    • Kelvin Hernandez
    • Chris Nido
    • Evan Pena

• Notable Withdraws/ Changes:
  • OUT: Cameron Percy -> IN: Geoff Ogilvy
  • OUT: Dylan Frittelli -> IN: Ted Potter Jr.
  • OUT: Zach Johnson -> IN: Scott Brown
  • OUT: Kramer Hickok -> IN: DJ Trahan
  • OUT: David Lipsky -> IN: Greg Chalmers
  • OUT: Christian Bezuidenhout -> IN: Kyle Stanley
  • OUT: K.H. Lee -> IN: Ben Crane
  • OUT: Callum Tarren -> IN: Sangmoon Bae
  • OUT: Greg Chalmers -> IN: Derek Ernst
  • OUT: Jimmy Walker -> IN: Derek Lamely

 

To see the most up-to-date odds, you can click the following link.

To see the full field for this event and how they qualified, you can click the following link.

 

Horses for Courses:

			Puerto Rico Open	Puerto Rico Open	Puerto Rico Open	Puerto Rico Open	Puerto Rico Open
			Grand Reserve Country Club	Grand Reserve Country Club	Grand Reserve Country Club	Grand Reserve Country Club	Grand Reserve Country Club
	Events Played	Scoring Avg. (per round)	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
Brandon Wu	2	68.63	–	T3	T7	–	–
Ryan Brehm	4	68.86	–	WON	T11	T35	–
Nate Lashley	3	68.92	T3	T7	–	–	T8
Vincent Whaley	2	69.00	–	–	T15	T9	–
Aaron Baddeley	4	69.69	–	T28	T30	–	T2

 

Donkeys for Courses:

“Horses for Courses” is a phrase that is widely used and describes the best course/tournament fits. These are players that have had success at the particular course/event. “Donkeys for Courses” is something I came up with that highlights the players who have struggled at a specific course/tournament.

			Puerto Rico Open	Puerto Rico Open	Puerto Rico Open	Puerto Rico Open	Puerto Rico Open
			Grand Reserve Country Club	Grand Reserve Country Club	Grand Reserve Country Club	Grand Reserve Country Club	Grand Reserve Country Club
	Events Played	Scoring Avg. (per round)	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
Chris Nido	4	72.88	MC	–	MC	MC	–
Nick Watney	2	72.00	T57	–	MC	–	–

 

Previous Winners Scores and Prices:

• 2023: Nicolas Echavarria (-21)
  • Price: 125-1

• 2022: Ryan Brehm (-20)
  • Price: 70-1

• 2021: Branden Grace (-19)
  • Price: 20-1

• 2020: Viktor Hovland (-20)
  • Price: 12-1

• 2019: Martin Trainer (-15)
  • Price: 125-1

 

Previous Winners Incoming Form (Last 5 Starts):

• 2023: Nicolas Echavarria
  • MC – The Honda Classic
  • MC – AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
  • MC – Farmers Insurance Open
  • MC – The American Express
  • T12 – Sony Open in Hawaii

• 2022: Ryan Brehm
  • T38 – LECOM Suncoast Classic (KFT)
  • T9 – Astara Golf Championship (KFT)
  • T32 – The Panama Championship (KFT)
  • T18 – The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic (KFT)
  • MC – Korn Ferry Tour Championship (KFT)

• 2021: Branden Grace
  • T20 – The Genesis Invitational (PGA)
  • T34 – AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (PGA)
  • MC – Sony Open in Hawaii (PGA)
  • T40 – Mayakoba Golf Classic (PGA)
  • T30 – The RSM Classic (PGA)

• 2020: Viktor Hovland
  • T38 – AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (PGA)
  • MC – Waste Management Phoenix Open (PGA)
  • T23 – Omega Dubai Desert Classic (DPWT)
  • MC – Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship (DPWT)
  • MC – Mayakoba Golf Classic (PGA)

• 2019: Martin Trainer
  • T28 – AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (PGA)
  • MC – Desert Classic (PGA)
  • MDF – Sony Open in Hawaii (PGA)
  • MC – The RSM Classic (PGA)
  • MC – Mayakoba Golf Classic (PGA)

 

Previous Winners Finishes at Event:

2023: Nicolas Echavarria

• Tournament Debut

 

2022: Ryan Brehm

	2021	2020	2017
Ryan Brehm	T11	T35	MC

 

2021: Branden Grace

• Tournament Debut

 

2020: Viktor Hovland

• Tournament Debut

 

2019: Martin Trainer

• Tournament Debut

 

Picks (Outrights):

• Chan Kim (+3000) – DraftKings
  • Risk: 0.27 to win 8.10 Units

Chan Kim has made a promising start to his rookie year on the PGA Tour. While he stumbled with a missed cut at the Sony Open in Hawaii, he bounced back impressively with top-20 finishes in two of his subsequent three events. Most recently, he secured a T28 finish at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches.

Although this marks Kim’s tournament debut, he has shown prowess on coastal courses in the past, notably securing a T8 finish at the Mexico Open at Vidanta and a T16 finish at the Puerto Rico Open.

Analyzing his performance among the field in the last 24 rounds, Kim boasts impressive stats. He ranks 8th in SG: Ball Striking, 11th in SG: Putting, 12th in SG: Approach, and 24th in SG: Off the Tee. Moreover, in terms of scoring, he stands out, ranking 1st in Par 5 Scoring 600-650 Yards, 4th in Par 4 Scoring 400-450 Yards, and 17th in Birdies or Better Gained. With his favorable course history and recent form, Kim emerges as a strong contender for this week’s event.

 

• Robert MacIntyre (+3000) – DraftKings
  • Risk: 0.27 to win 8.10 Units

MacIntyre had a challenging start to his rookie season on the PGA Tour, missing the cut in four of his first six events. However, he has shown signs of improvement in his recent performances, securing a T6 finish at the Mexico Open and a T60 finish at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches.

While he will make his tournament debut this week, MacIntyre demonstrated his abilities at Vidanta Vallarta, a comparable course where he excelled.

With his strong tee game and improving approach play, MacIntyre appears poised to contend this week. His proficiency with long irons, a vital aspect for this event, adds to his potential. Despite struggles on the greens this season, he had his best-putting performance at the Mexico Open, which shares similar Paspalum greens.

 

• Brandon Wu (+3500) – DraftKings
  • Risk: 0.23 to win 8.05 Units

Brandon Wu has showcased his proficiency in coastal conditions, delivering his best performances of the season at Waialae (T18) and at Vidanta Vallarta (T13). Notably, he has a strong track record in this event, securing a T3 finish in 2022 and a T7 finish in 2021.

Although he faced challenges with his approach play in his recent outing, Wu had previously gained strokes in four of his last five starts. If he can address this aspect of his game, he stands a good chance of contending for the title this week. Additionally, Wu has demonstrated a liking for Paspalum greens, evident from his past success on similar courses.

 

• Austin Smotherman (+7500) – DraftKings
  • Risk: 0.11 to win 8.25 Units

Smotherman made a solitary appearance on the PGA Tour this season, securing a T52 finish at the Mexico Open. Despite a solid overall performance, his accuracy off the tee raised some concerns. Fortunately, precision from the tee isn’t paramount this week, and his impressive distance capabilities put him in a competitive position.

His past performances on coastal courses highlight his adaptability and potential for success. Notably, he achieved a T23 finish at the World Wide Technology Championship and claimed a T5 spot at the Mexico Open in 2023. Additionally, Smotherman clinched victory at the Abierto Mexicano de Golf in 2018, held at Vidanta Vallarta, underscoring his comfort and proficiency on similar courses.

 

• Rico Hoey (+8000) – DraftKings
  • Risk: 0.10 to win 8.00 Units

Hoey encountered a rough start to the season, failing to make the cut in his initial five PGA Tour appearances. However, he managed to break the streak at the recent Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, concluding with a T56 finish.

His strengths lie in his prowess off the tee and with his iron play, but his performance with the putter has been lackluster. Despite this, he demonstrates promising rankings in key categories for this week’s event, except for SG: Putting. Encouragingly, his putting has shown signs of improvement in recent outings.

In the previous season, Hoey showcased his potential with multiple top-10 finishes and a victory at the Knoxville Open on the Korn Ferry Tour. Priced at 80-1 this week, I’m hoping Hoey can somehow regain his form putting as we’ve seen it happen this season and at this event in the past.

 

• Hayden Springer (+8000) – DraftKings
  • Risk: 0.10 to win 8.00 Units

Hayden Springer closed out the 2023 season impressively, securing two victories on the Mackenzie Tour (PGA Tour Canada) and earning his PGA Tour card through the Q-School Qualifier.

Although he initially missed the cut in his debut event of the season, Springer has shown improvement in his recent outings, finishing T33 at the Farmers Insurance Open and T38 at the Mexico Open.

Springer’s strength lies in his performance off the tee, where he has excelled in his limited starts, showcasing the distance needed to contend this week. Furthermore, his approach play showed signs of improvement in his last appearance at the Mexico Open. Additionally, during his time on the PGA Tour Latinoamérica, he secured top-10 finishes in Columbia, Peru, and Brazil.

Given his skill set and recent form, Springer appears to be well-suited to this course. Maximizing his opportunities on the PGA Tour will be crucial for him to maintain his card for the upcoming season.

Total Risk on Outrights: 1.08 Units

 

Picks (Top 20):

• Parker Coody (+175) – BetMGM
  • Risk: 1.00 to win 1.75 Units

Parker Coody has shown promise in his rookie season on the PGA Tour, despite encountering challenges in his initial events. After a rough start with a T74 finish at the Sony Open in Hawaii and a missed cut at The American Express, he rebounded with solid performances, securing T25 at the Farmers Insurance Open and T24 at the Mexico Open. His most recent outing resulted in a T47 finish at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches.

This week marks Coody’s debut at the Puerto Rico Open, yet his performance at Vidanta Vallarta, where he finished T24, suggests he can adapt well.

In recent tournaments, Coody has demonstrated proficiency with his iron play, consistently gaining strokes on approach in his last four outings. Additionally, his short game has shown improvement in the past two events. While accuracy off the tee has posed some challenges, the wide fairways of this week’s course and its length of over 7,500 yards favor his distance-driven game. Coody has struggled on the greens this season, but his performance at events featuring Paspalum greens, such as the one at Grand Reserve Country Club, offers optimism for his putting performance.

 

• Sam Stevens (+175) – BetMGM
  • Risk: 1.00 to win 1.75 Units

Sam Stevens has had a mixed start to the 2024 season, struggling to maintain consistency in his performances. While he began the season strongly with a T24 finish at the Sony Open in Hawaii, subsequent events saw fluctuating results. After the solid start, he posted a T65 finish at The American Express, followed by T43 at the Farmers Insurance Open and T28 at the WM Phoenix Open. However, his form dipped in the last two events, where he missed the cut at both the Mexico Open and Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches.

Despite recent challenges, Stevens has demonstrated proficiency on coastal courses in the past. Notably, he secured a T3 finish at the Corales Puntacana Championship and T15 at the Puerto Rico Open in the previous season.

Analyzing his performance metrics in the last 24 rounds, Stevens ranks favorably in several key categories. He sits 23rd in SG: Ball Striking, 23rd in SG: Off the Tee, 9th in Birdies or Better Gained, and 20th in Proximity Gained from 200+ Yards. With his distance off the tee and consistent approach play, Stevens is poised to create scoring opportunities this week. If he capitalizes on these chances, he stands a good chance of contending in the tournament.

Total Risk on Top 20s: 2.00 Units

 

As always, all of my placement bets are through BetMGM as they’re one of the only books without dead-heat rules. If you’d like to bet these placements at BetMGM, you can get up to $1500 in Bonus Bets if you don’t win if you’re a first-time user. Must Be 21+. Gambling Problem? Call or Text 1-800-GAMBLER.

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Total Risk on the Puerto Rico Open: 3.08 Units 

 

Best of luck, and as always you can find me on Twitter @GatorBetting and Instagram @Gator_Sports_Betting. Any feedback whether positive or negative is always encouraged.