Pre-Tournament Storylines:
The 2024 Black Desert Championship is the third event of the FedExCup Fall, a series of eight tournaments played after the TOUR Championship to determine eligibility for the 2025 PGA TOUR season. As a first-year PGA TOUR event, the Black Desert Championship marks the first permanent addition to the schedule since the Myrtle Beach Classic debuted earlier this season.
PGA returns to Utah
This marks the first PGA TOUR event in Utah since the 1963 Utah Open Invitational. In addition, Black Desert Resort is set to host an LPGA event in the spring of 2025.
Tournament Information:
- Dates: October 10th – October 13th, 2024
- Location: Ivins, Utah, United States
- Course: Black Desert Resort
- Course Type: Resort, Desert
- Par: 71 (4x 3’s / 11x 4’s / 3x 5’s)
- Length: 7,371 yards
- Format: 72-hole stroke play
- Greens: 007XL bentgrass .120”
- Fairways: Dominator bentgrass .350”
- Rough: Kentucky bluegrass 2”
- Bunkers: 44
- Water Hazard(s): 3 (In-Play on 2 Holes)
- Average Green Size: 7,000 sq. ft.
- Purse/ Winner: $7,500,000 /$1,350,000
- FedEx Cup Points: 500
- Field: 132 Players
- Cut: Top 65 and Ties – 36 Holes
- Playoff Format: Sudden Death | Holes 18, 18, 16, 17, 18
Social Media:
- Black Desert Championship – (@BDChampionship)
- Black Desert Resort – (@BlackDesertUT)
Course Architect:
- Course Architect: Tom Weiskopf/Phil Smith (2023)
Comparable Courses & Greens:
- Comparable Courses:
- Designer Link (Tom Weiskopf (2023)):
- Torrey Pines Golf Course (North Course) – Tom Weiskopf (2016) – Farmers Insurance Open
- TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course) – Tom Weiskopf & Jay Morrish (1986) – WM Phoenix Open
- TPC Craig Ranch – Tom Weiskopf (2004) – THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson
- Comparable Location (Ivins, Utah, United States):
- TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course) – Scottsdale, Arizona – WM Phoenix Open
- TPC Summerlin – Las Vegas, Nevada – Shriners Children’s Open
- Castle Pines Golf Club – Castle Rock, Colorado – BMW Championship
- The Summit Club
- Comparable Yardage (7,371 Yards):
- Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead Course) – 7,340 Yards – Valspar Championship
- East Lake Golf Club – 7,346 Yards – TOUR Championship
- Memorial Park Golf Course – 7,412 Yards – Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Comparable Average Green Size (7,000 sq. ft.):
- Memorial Park Golf Course – 7,000 sq. ft. – Texas Children’s Houston Open
- PGA WEST (Nicklaus Tournament Course) – 7,000 sq. ft. – The American Express
- Comparable Greens (007XL bentgrass .120”):
- TPC Craig Ranch – Bentgrass .100” – THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson
- Colonial Country Club – 007XL bentgrass .100” – Charles Schwab Challenge
- Muirfield Village Golf Club – Bentgrass .090” – the Memorial Tournament
- TPC Deere Run – L-93 bentgrass .100” – John Deere Classic
- TPC Twin Cities – Bentgrass .110” – 3M Open
- TPC Summerlin – Dominator bentgrass .125″ – Shriners Children’s Open
TV Information (all times ET):
- Round 1: Thursday, October 10th, 2024
- ESPN+ – 9:45 AM -5:00 PM
- Golf Channel – 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Round 2: Friday, October 11th, 2024
- ESPN+ – 9:45 AM -5:00 PM
- Golf Channel – 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Round 3: Saturday, October 12th, 2024
- Golf Channel – 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Round 4: Sunday, October 13th, 2024
- Golf Channel – 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Weather:
Course/ Tournament History:
The Black Desert Resort golf course, located in southern Utah, is a key feature of the resort and has a unique history. Designed by renowned golf course architect Tom Weiskopf, the course was conceived as part of the larger vision for the resort to offer a world-class golf experience amidst the stunning backdrop of the region’s black lava fields and red rock formations. Construction of the golf course began in the late 2010s, with Weiskopf aiming to create a course that not only challenged golfers of all skill levels but also complemented the natural desert landscape. The course officially opened in 2023 and quickly gained acclaim for its innovative design, dramatic scenery, and environmentally conscious approach, incorporating water conservation measures and native vegetation to blend seamlessly with the surroundings.
Tournament Records:
- 72-Hole Record (Black Desert Championship):
- Inaugural event
- 18-Hole Record (Black Desert Championship):
- Inaugural event
Course Records:
- 72-Hole Record (Black Desert Resort):
- Inaugural event
- 18-Hole Record (Black Desert Resort):
- Inaugural event
Course Guide/ Scorecard:
Featured/ Signature Hole(s): 7, 13, 16
Key Statistics:
- Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
- Success this week will hinge on players’ ability to position themselves effectively off the tee. While the course’s considerable length underscores the significance of distance, precision holds equal importance.
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
- Camerom Champ
- Kevin Dougherty
- Patrick Fishburn
- Carson Young
- MJ Daffue
- Ryan Brehm
- Chan Kim
- Seamus Power
- Keith Mitchell
- Alex Smalley
- Strokes Gained: Approach
- Having a strong iron game will be important this week if players want to succeed at Black Desert Resort.
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
- Doug Ghim
- J.J. Spaun
- Keith Mitchell
- David Lipsky
- Chez Reavie
- Austin Smotherman
- Andrew Novak
- David Skinns
- Nick Hardy
- Mac Meissner
- Strokes Gained: Putting (Bentgrass)
- The Greens at Black Desert Resort are 007XL bentgrass.
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
- Justin Lower
- Harry Hall
- Martin Laird
- Harris English
- Taylor Montgomery
- Seonghyeon Kim
- Kevin Kisner
- Chandler Phillips
- Kevin Chappell
- Andrew Novak
- Par 3 Scoring: 150-175 Yards (x2)
- Two of the four Par 3’s at Black Desert Resort range between 150-175 Yards.
- Leaders in Par 3 Scoring: 150-175 Yards in the last 24 Rounds:
- Nico Echavarria
- Erik Van Rooyen
- Peter Kuest
- C.T. Pan
- Michael Thorbjornsen
- Patton Kizzire
- Scott Gutschewski
- Justin Suh
- Tim Wilkinson
- Ben Taylor
- Par 4 Scoring: 450-500 Yards (x4)
- Four of the eleven Par 4’s at Black Desert Resort range between 450-500 Yards.
- Leaders in Par 4 Scoring: 450-500 Yards in the last 24 Rounds:
- Chad Ramey
- Trace Crowe
- Andrew Novak
- Maverick McNealy
- Seamus Power
- Nick Taylor
- Vincent Whaley
- Lucas Glover
- Trey Mullinax
- Jacob Bridgeman
- Par 5 Scoring: 550-600 Yards (x3)
- All three of the Par 5’s at Black Desert Resort range between 550-600 Yards.
- Leaders in Par 5 Scoring: 550-600 Yards in the last 24 Rounds:
- Patrick Fishburn
- Hayden Springer
- Kevin Chappell
- Paul Bjorn
- Patrick Rodgers
- Troy Merritt
- Adam Svensson
- Matthew NeSmith
- Kurt Kitayama
- Zcheng Dou
- Birdies or Better Gained
- Players will need to take advantage of every scoring opportunity this week if they want to put themselves into contention.
- Leaders in this category in the last 24 Rounds:
- Keith Mitchell
- J.J. Spaun
- Beau Hossler
- Michael Thorbjornsen
- Justin Lower
- Chan Kim
- Harry Hall
- Chun-an Yu
- Patrick Fishburn
- Pierceson Coody
The Field:
This year’s Black Desert Championship will feature a total of 132 competitors.
- Here is the current basis of qualification for each entrant this week:
- Top 125 FedExCup Fall Point Lists
- Top 70 on Prior Year FEC Playoff & Elig List through the Playoffs
- Tournament Winner in Past Two Seasons
- DP World Tour / Korn Ferry Tour / Q-School Category – Reordered
- Open Qualifying
- Sponsors Exemptions – Unrestricted
- PGA Section Champion\Player of the Year
- Winner – PGA/U.S. Open Championship
- Reorder Category – Cat. 37 thru 44
- Career Money Exemption
- Major Medical Extension
- Previous Winners in the Field (Event):
- Inaugural event
- Debutants in the Field (Event):
- Inaugural event
- Sponsors Exemptions:
- Jay Don Blake, Kihei Akina, Zac Jones, Peter Kuest, Max McGreevy, Mike Weir, Sean O’Hair
- Notable Withdraws/ Changes:
- Brandt Snedeker WD
- S.Y. Noh OUT; Austin Smotherman IN
- Maverick McNealy WD; Kelly Kraft IN
- Kevin Yu WD; Austin Cook IN
- Emiliano Grillo WD; Scott Piercy IN
- Parker Coody WD; Ryan Palmer IN
- Ryan Palmer WD; Cody Gribble IN
The Odds:
Here are the current favorites for this week’s event, along with a summary of their recent form and course history:
Keith Mitchell (+1600) enters this event in top form, with a T12 finish at the Wyndham Championship, 12th at the Procore Championship, and T3 at the Sanderson Farms Championship in his last three starts. He’s also performed well on similar courses, with a T17 finish at the 2024 WM Phoenix Open and a T3 at the 2022 CJ CUP.
Seamus Power (+2200) is also in solid form, having placed inside the top 15 in his last two PGA TOUR appearances, with a T10 finish at the FedEx St. Jude Championship and a T11 at last week’s Sanderson Farms Championship.
Kurt Kitayama (+2500) missed the cut at his last PGA TOUR event, the Wyndham Championship, but showed strong form prior to that with a T6 finish at the 3M Open. He’s also had good results on comparable courses, finishing T8 at the 2024 WM Phoenix Open and T23 at the same event in 2023.
Beau Hossler (+2800) came close to victory last week, losing in a playoff at the Sanderson Farms Championship to Kevin Yu. Before that, he missed the cut at the Procore Championship but finished T12 at the Wyndham Championship. Hossler has also performed well on similar courses, with a T7 finish at the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open and a T14 finish at the 2023 WM Phoenix Open.
Picks:
Outrights:
- Andrew Novak (+4000) – BetMGM
- Risk 0.20 to win 8.00 Units
- Lucas Glover (+4000) – BetMGM
- Risk 0.20 to win 8.00 Units
- Alex Smalley (+4500) – FanDuel
- Risk 0.18 to win 8.10 Units
- J.J. Spaun (+4500) – BetMGM
- Risk 0.18 to win 8.10 Units
- Daniel Berger (+5000) – FanDuel
- Risk 0.16 to win 8.00 Units
- Ben Kohles (+7000) – FanDuel
- Risk 0.12 to win 8.40 Units
Total Risk on Outrights: 1.04 Units
Top 20 (including ties):
- Beau Hossler (+130) – DraftKings
- Risk 1.00 to win 1.30 Units
- Harry Hall (+200) – DraftKings
- Risk 1.00 to win 2.00 Units
Total Risk on Top 20s: 2.00 Units
Total Risk on the Black Desert Championship: 3.04 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.
