Weekly Preview: Bermuda Championship

Bermuda Championship

Port Royal GC
Southampton Parish, Bermuda  

The PGA Tour heads to Bermuda as the two-week run of higher-profile events comes to an end. Though we failed to see a bona fide A-lister come out on top the last couple weeks, some of the big guns were right there, as Nos. 2 and 3 in the OWGR -- Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas -- hung around until the end of The ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP. Last week's winner, Patrick Cantlay, and the runner-up two weeks ago -- Xander Schauffele -- aren't quite at that top level yet, but they're both knocking on the door and will have a golden opportunity to kick it in at The Masters.

No one the caliber of any of those players will be teeing it up in Bermuda, as the top golfers take the week off to prepare for Augusta. A few of those playing in the year's final major may use next week's event as a tune-up, but it probably won't be many. As I always say, though, these types of tournaments provide opportunities for the next big names in golf to jump-start their careers. They can't all burst onto the scene like Rory or Jordan Spieth. Most of these guys, even the soon-to-be stars, need time to develop. There's one particular golfer on the cusp in this week's field, and although he still does not have a win on his ledger, the oddsmakers refuse to let him progress at a natural pace. More on him later.

We don't have much course history in play with this year's Barracuda Championship being only the second one ever contested, but we at least have last year's results to help guide us.

LAST YEAR

Brendon Todd shot a final-round 62 on his way to a four-shot victory over second-place finisher Harry Higgs.

FAVORITES

Will Zalatoris (12-1)

The up-and-coming golfer referenced above is none other than Zalatoris. He came on the scene just a couple months ago and has already been the favorite twice! I realize these fields aren't great, but that's insane. Zalatoris has racked up top-10s on two Tours this year, but we have no idea how he'll react if he's in position to win on Sunday afternoon.

Brendon Todd (12-1)

While Zalatoris' co-favorite status is a little ambitious, Todd makes perfect sense in this spot. Todd took his game to the next level during the fall season last year, and one of his highlights was a win in this event. Though he has failed to win in 2020, he has still played well overall. Defending a title is always a tough ask, but Todd seems well-equipped to do so.

Doc Redman (25-1)

Redman may be one of the favorites this week, but he's another golfer without a win on his PGA Tour resume. As you can see, the oddsmakers are fond of potential over experience, but then again, the odds are just a reflection of the public, so it's not all that surprising. Redman put his skills on display a couple times lately with two top-3 finishes since August. He'll do plenty big things in his career, but he needs to show he can first.

THE NEXT TIER

Harold Varner III (25-1)

It says something about the predictability of this event that there are only two golfers with odds lower than 25-1. In spots like this, though, you see a guy like Varner come through and pick up his first win on Tour. Varner has spent most of his career playing well on Thursdays and Fridays but struggling on the weekend. That can be overcome over time, however, and Varner seems like a golfer who will figure it out at some point.

Rasmus Hojgaard (40-1)

Since this week's event seems extremely unpredictable, why not grab someone at 40-1 that has won twice on the European Tour? Hojgaard has a Zalatoris feel to him, but because he plays primarily overseas he's virtually unknown in the States, and that's reflected in his odds. That, however, only provides opportunity this week as Hojgaard at his number is a much better play than Zalatoris at his.

Justin Suh (40-1)

Not so long ago, Suh was a member of the Hovland/Wolff/Morikawa class of collegiate graduates. Obviously things haven't gone as well for Suh as they have for the rest of the crew, but he's starting to get there. Suh is off to a strong start this season, with a T14 and a T8 in two starts. This could be Suh's week to pick up his first PGA Tour win and gain some ground on his classmates.

LONG SHOTS

Russell Knox (60-1)

There aren't many, if any, good reasons to make a play on a long shot this week, but weird things happen in this game sometimes. Heck, Stewart Cink won an event just a few weeks ago, so anything can happen. Knox did not play well going into nor coming out of the hiatus earlier this year, but he put together some good rounds late in the season and notched a top-10 in September. He also played well here last year, just missing a top-10 finish.

Hank Lebioda (125-1)

Did I mention it's hard to justify any long shots this week? Lebioda hasn't played particularly well this season, nor was he great during the previous campaign, but he did play well in this spot last year when he tied for third place. Hey, what do you expect out of a guy who is 125-1?

ONE-AND-DONE LEAGUES

Highly-owned Pick: Brendon Todd - Todd is likely to be selected by 80-to-90 percent of OAD players this week, as he's by far the best option among only a handful of them. There might be spots down the road to use Todd, but you might as well take him when he's 12-1. He most certainly won't see better odds than that the rest of the season.

Moderately-owned Pick: Will Zalatoris - I've made light of Zalatoris being a favorite this week, but I have to admit, he has played well out of the gate. Zalatoris has two top-10s in three starts this season, and while I don't expect him to win, I do expect him to continue his solid play and cash a nice check.

Lightly-owned Pick: Justin Suh - For those that have been paying attention, Suh will not be much of a sleeper pick, but I have a feeling you can sneak him through in most leagues. Suh looks like he's got some game, and you know he's motivated by the early success of his peers.

Buyer Beware: Henrik Stenson - There aren't many names that pop in this field, but Stenson is surely one of them. The problem is, this isn't the Stenson that we are accustomed to. Stenson took his time coming back to the U.S. after the hiatus, and when he returned his game wasn't there. It doesn't appear he's found it yet, either.

Last week: Tyrrell Hatton - (T28) - $50,137

Season Total: $801,288

This Week: Brendon Todd - I'm not going to overthink this one. It's too early in the season to try and make a move by fading the popular pick, especially when that pick appears to be the correct one. Todd is the only player in the field with good form and a history of success at this event. Let's not make this hard. Just pick Todd and realize you won't be gaining ground this week, but you won't be losing it, either.

FANDUEL PICKS

Upper Range: Brendon Todd ($11,900)
Middle Range: Justin Suh ($9,900)
Lower Range: Hank Lebioda ($8,400)

SURVIVOR LEAGUES

Last Week: N/A

Streak: 3

This Week: Brendon Todd - In this format it can be tougher to make a pick in a field like this than it is at a major, because you can't be sure about motivation. In these cases, go with the guys that have a history of success. Enter Todd, who is the defending champ and is also someone that realizes how much a successful fall can drive you through the rest of the season.