The Port Royal Golf Course can be a dicey proposition.
The Port Royal Golf Course can be a dicey proposition.
It’s the shortest golf course used on PGA Tour in 2024 and when the wind picks up, hoo-boy it can be fun to watch, if not exactly fun to play.
After Saturday’s round, Justin Lower had opinions on the conditions everyone had to deal with.
“I don’t think that’s golf if you ask me,” he said about the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th holes. “Balls were going backwards in the air and I just, I realize that a lot of people had to play in it, but I don’t think it’s fair if that makes sense. I think if a top-10 or top-15 player in the world was here and they wanted to stop, I think the rules officials would have said ‘Yeah, we’ll stop.’ When anyone else in the field, if we would have said ‘I don’t feel comfortable playing in this’ we would have been told ‘tough’ and to proceed with the round. So that’s how I feel about it.”
On Sunday, Golf Channel announcers pointed out the greens were the slowest on Tour and that’s largely due to how much wind can affect golfers, and putting was indeed an adventure.
There are two new names atop the leaderboard after the third round of the 2024 Butterfield Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton. American Andrew Novak and Puerto Rican Rafael Campos shot a pair of 9-under 62s to earn themselves a share of the 54-hole lead and a final-group tee time.
Justin Lower, who posted back-to-back rounds of 65 to earn the 36-hole lead, stumbled on his way to the clubhouse on Saturday, playing the back nine in 1-over 36. Still, he’ll enter the final round one back of the lead at 15 under, alone in third.
Wesley Bryan made the biggest move of the day, tying the course record at Port Royal, a 10-under 61. He had a chance to break the existing record on No. 9 — his 18th hole of the day — but couldn’t convert the putt.
If you missed any of the action on Saturday, no worries, we have you covered.
Here are a few notes from the third round in Bermuda.
Andrew Novak of the United States walks from the 11th hole during the third round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship 2024 at Port Royal Golf Course on November 16, 2024, in Southampton, Bermuda. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Sure, they weren’t as good as Bryan’s 61 — we’ll get to that in a minute — but Andrew Novak and Rafael Campos crawled their way to the top of the leaderboard with matching 9-under 62s.
Novak did most of his damage early in the round, making seven birdies on the front nine to make the turn with a 7-under 29. On the second half, he added two more on Nos. 12 and 15 to finish his day.
“I missed a lot of putts the first two rounds and hit a good shot into 1,” he said, “made probably a 12-footer or so, that just kind of got it going, seeing ’em go in, kind of kept it rolling and just got hot.”
Campos, on the other hand, did most of his work around the turn and at the end of his round. He birdied five straight from Nos. 6-10 and three straight from Nos. 15-17.
“I really am happy about the last couple days, especially today,” he said. “Yesterday was no wind but today was a real test on some of the holes into the wind.
“I was really fortunate the short game was really on point today. It’s been quite some time I haven’t felt as comfortable chipping, but I had a couple chip-ins today and the putter rolled really well.”
Wesley Bryan storms up the leaderboard
Wesley Bryan of the United States checks his yardage book on the tenth green during the third round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship 2024 at Port Royal Golf Course on November 16, 2024, in Southhampton, Bermuda. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
The vibes have been high all week for Wesley Bryan. He played the first two rounds of the tournament alongside his brother, George, and although he missed the cut, the younger Bryan is now in position to win on Tour for the second time (2017 RBC Heritage).
Bryan opened with a 67 on Thursday but made too many late-round mistakes Friday, shooting a 1-over 72. Saturday, however, was a different story.
Starting on the back nine, Bryan birdied 10, 11, 14 and 16 before making a big bird at the par-5 17th to make the turn with a 6-under 29. On the way home, the 34-year-old added two more birdies to his card on Nos. 2 and 6, plus another eagle at the par-5 seventh.
Needing a birdie-birdie finish to card a 59, Bryan settled for two pars to finish his 10-under effort that tied the Port Royal course record.
“I’ve been hitting the ball really nice and been hitting it solid and been putting pretty well,” he said. “I felt like these type of conditions really for my entire golfing career, I’ve really enjoyed wind. It just brings out a little bit more creativity, so I do enjoy the wind.
“Then today, I mean, nobody knows a 61 or what, when a 61’s going to come. That’s just kind of a career day. Hopefully, we can shoot — I mean, get in the mix tomorrow on the back nine. That would be the ultimate goal.”
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The Butterfield Bermuda Championship, the penultimate event for the PGA Tour in 2024, kicks off Thursday at Port Royal Golf Course. Another rank-and-file field has gathered in Southhampton, Bermuda, highlighted by Mackenzie Hughes, Lucas Glover, Seamus Power, Maverick McNealy and Daniel Berger.
Defending champion Camilo Villegas has made just five cuts across 24 starts so far this year, but maybe a trip back to the course where he captured his fifth Tour win will break his slump.
This week’s winner will go home with $1.242 million of the $6.9 million purse and 500 FedEx Cup points.
Now, let’s jump into our betting preview and discuss a few players we’re picking to contend in Bermuda.
Ryan Armour, Kevin Chappell and D.J. Trahan of the United States walk to the 16th green during the second round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Course on November 10, 2023 in Southampton, Bermuda. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Things to keep in mind
Wind can play a major factor at this track, so pay attention to a potential wave advantage.
This is not a course players can dominate with their drivers. This is a plot-your-way-around type track. Think Harbour Town (RBC Heritage).
Scores can get low out here — Villegas won at 24 under. Let’s prioritize Strokes Gained: Approach and SG: Putting (Bermuda).
Course history
Course history at Port Royal Golf Course for the Bermuda Championship
-Includes average finish position and SG average since 2019
Picks to win the 2024 Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Ben Griffin
Ben Griffin walks down the fairway on the 18th hole on the first day of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tenn., on Thursday, August 15, 2024.
Best odds: 20/1 (+2000), DraftKings and FanDuel
Analysis: Griffin has been flirting with his first Tour win for more than a year now, and this seems like a great spot for him to get it. He’s coming off back-to-back top-25 finishes at the Zozo Championship and World Wide Technology Championship, and he has a T-3 finish at this event in 2022.
Justin Lower
Justin Lower of the United States plays his shot from the second tee during the third round of the World Wide Technology Championship 2024 at El Cardonal at Diamante on November 09, 2024 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
Best odds: 25/1 (+2500), several books
Analysis: Lower played some great golf last week but couldn’t quite catch Austin Eckroat. He finished in a tie for second. Now, he heads to a course he loves. In three starts at Port Royal, Lower has three top-20 finishes, including a tie for eighth at the end of 2022.
Patrick Rodgers
Patrick Rodgers of the United States plays his shot from the 16th tee during the second round of the Sanderson Farms Championship 2024 at the Country Club of Jackson on October 04, 2024 in Jackson, Mississippi. (Photo by Raj Mehta/Getty Images)
Best odds: 30/1 (+3000), FanDuel and Caesars
Analysis: Rodgers has made 279 starts on the PGA Tour and hasn’t put a tally in the win column. Is this his week? Over the last month, Rodgers has tied for 11th at the Black Desert Championship and for 24th at the World Wide Technology Championship. In 2021, Rodgers finished solo fourth at Port Royal. A year later, he tied for third.
Vince Whaley
Vince Whaley hits his tee shot on the ninth hole during the first round of the RBC Canadian Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Best odds: 55/1 (+5500), FanDuel and BetMGM
Analysis: Whaley has two T-16 finishes during the Tour’s fall season — Sanderson Farms Championship, Shriners Children’s Open — and has played well at Port Royal in the past. In 2023, he tied for eighth, and in 2021, he finished T-7.
We’re 18 holes away from crowning a winner of the 2024 World Wide Technology Championship in Mexico, and the top of the leaderboard is as congested as Los Angeles traffic.
Justin Lower, Nico Echavarria and Carson Young are tied for the lead at 16 under, but there are three players tied for fourth at 15 under and two more at 14 under. A large group is primed to pounce if the leaders hit a few speed bumps during their rounds Sunday.
Echavarria, a 30-year-old from Colombia, won the Zozo Championship in Japan two weeks ago, his second PGA Tour win in as many seasons (2023 Puerto Rico Open). Now he’s just one round away from winning in back-to-back starts and a career-changing year.
Some of the names hoping to make a charge over the last dozen-and-a-half holes are Austin Eckroat (15 under), Max Greyserman (15 under) and Maverick McNealy (14 under).
If you missed any of the action Saturday, no worries we have you covered. Here are a few things to know from the third round of the World Wide Technology Championship.
Nico Echavarria of Colombia walks from the fourth tee during the third round of the World Wide Technology Championship 2024 at El Cardonal at Diamante in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. (Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
It’s tough to travel across the world and play consistent golf, but don’t tell Echavarria that. Two weeks ago he was in Japan hoisting hardware at the Zozo. Now, he’s more than 6,300 miles away, once again in position to earn a trophy.
He started with a birdie at the par-5 first on Saturday and added one more before making the turn with a 2-under 34. On his way home, Echavarria birdied Nos. 10 and 12, and made six straight pars to close his day.
“There’s going to be nerves (on Sunday), it’s normal,” he told the media after signing his card. “I’ve been in this position luckily, I’ve gotten it done. It’s just a matter of being calm, controlling the nerves because there are going to be nerves. Hopefully there’s wind because I like playing in wind. I think I can manage the wind pretty well out here. So we’ll see. I won’t change my strategy, but maybe good golf will be enough.”
The last player to win back-to-back starts on Tour was Rory McIlroy earlier this year at the Zurich Classic and Truist Championship (formally known as the Wells Fargo).
Justin Lower looks for No. 1
Justin Lower plays his shot from the second tee during the third round of the World Wide Technology Championship 2024 at El Cardonal at Diamante in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. (Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
Lower is a name you’re probably not used to seeing on the leaderboard as he’s still looking for his first Tour win. He’s been in the mix a decent amount this year with six top-25 finishes and three top-10s. But through three rounds south of the border, he’s in position to finally put a tally in the win column.
The 35-year-old opened the WWTC with a ho-hum 2-under 70, but has reached another level with his game posting rounds of 67-63 over the last two days. He hit every fairway in regulation and missed just one green on Saturday, paving the way for his bogey-free 9-under gem.
“Everything,” Lower said when asked what a win would mean to him. “I don’t know. Yeah, I mean, there’s 18 holes tomorrow on a very scoreable golf course. I think the wind’s going to stay down again, so I have to go out and basically shoot probably somewhere between 5 and 9 under again. I mean, it’s just the way the scores are out here. If the wind’s down, scores are going to be low.
“Yeah, a win would mean everything. I still have a job to do.”
Is it Mav’s time?
Maverick McNealy plays his shot from the sixth tee during the third round of the World Wide Technology Championship 2024 at El Cardonal at Diamante in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. (Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
Maverick McNealy has the game to be a four-, five-time winner on Tour, he’s just gotta get his first. McNealy, who withdrew from the Zozo Championship before the second round due to illness in his last start, has flirted with victory several times this year, including a T-3 finish at the 3M Open. However, he’s yet to get it over the finish line.
He’ll have a chance on Sunday thanks to rounds of 66-67 after opening the tournament with a 3-under 69 on Thursday.
The 28-year-old made the turn with a 1-under 35 on Day 3, and went on to add three birdies and a bogey on the back before finishing his third round with an eagle on the par-5 closer.
Maverick McNealy reads the break on 18 perfectly for EAGLE and a round of 66! 🔥🦅
He’ll enter the final round two shots back of the lead.
Checking in with some familiar names
Daniel Berger of the United States plays a second shot on the 15th hole during the second round of the World Wide Technology Championship 2024 at El Cardonal at Diamante on November 08, 2024 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
Daniel Berger, 12 under (T-9)
Wesley Bryan, 12 under (T-9)
Joel Dahmen, 11 under (T-14)
Matt Kuchar, 11 under (T-14)
Harris English, 9 under (T-30)
Harry Higgs, 7 under (T-38)
Top 10 and odds to win
Position
Player
Score
Odds to win
T-1
Justin Lower
16 under
(+500)
T-1
Nico Echavarria
16 under
(+450)
T-1
Carson Young
16 under
(+550)
T-4
Joe Highsmith
15 under
(+850)
T-4
Austin Eckroat
15 under
(+700)
T-4
Max Greyserman
15 under
(+450)
T-7
Ben Griffin
14 under
(+1200)
T-7
Maverick McNealy
14 under
(+1100)
T-9
David Lipsky
12 under
(+15000)
T-9
Daniel Berger
12 under
(+7500)
T-9
Wesley Bryan
12 under
(+11000)
T-9
Ryan McCormick
12 under
(+17000)
T-9
Tom Hoge
12 under
(+6500)
[gambcom-standard rankid=”3413″ ]
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The changes in Wesley Bryan’s life seem never-ending these days. But it’s all working out just fine.
The changes in Wesley Bryan’s life seem never-ending these days. Sure, the co-star of the Bryan Bros Golf YouTube channel is still creating crazy content, like when he and brother George recently tried to break 50 from the front tees at Aiken Golf Club, just a half-hour east of Augusta National.
But Bryan and his wife Elizabeth just welcomed a third baby girl into the world eight weeks ago, he’s dropped a new putter in his bag and he’s sporting a new facial hair look.
How is all this change affecting his golf game?
Just wonderfully, thanks.
Bryan followed up a 63 in the opening round of the Corales Puntacana Championship with a second-round 66 on Friday, one that included him going 4 under on the day’s final three holes to get to 15 under at the event’s midpoint.
The week in the Dominican Republic started with a new L.A.B. putter that has Bryan leading the field in putting through two days at Puntacana Resort and Club.
“This is week one with the L.A.B. in the bag. It cooperated, it’s going to stay in there for the forever future at this point, that’s what it feels like,” Bryan said. “I just saw a lot of people that are switching to it and I was like, man, I’ve got to at least give it a try.
“To be fair, it’s a little bit polarizing on the internet and a lot of people love it or hate it, whatever. Art, science, whatever it is, I just wanted to try it.”
Bryan’s consecutive low rounds have him in a good position to claim his second PGA Tour title as Justin Lower continued his run of solid play and is a stroke behind Bryan at 14 under, but the field drops off from there. Coincidentally, Bryan’s first win came back in 2017 at the RBC Heritage, where the top players are playing this week without him.
But he’s shown no signs of holding a grudge. In fact, he and his burgeoning family seem to be living the life at the beachside resort. Bryan said his crew spent plenty of time at the pool on Thursday and the group was planning to hit the nearby lagoon on Friday.
“I don’t know how life gets any better than that, honestly,” he said.
As for his new look, Bryan said the new mustache came by circumstance, but it’s potentially a look he could stick with. Especially if he continues to play like he has thus far this week. Bryan missed the cut in his only other PGA Tour start this year in Puerto Rico and missed the cut in 11 of 19 starts last season.
“It started with a beard to start the week and my wife, she doesn’t like when I have a beard, so I said I would shave it off,” he said. “I brought a really bad razor blade down here and a trimmer and anything so I tackled the cheeks a few days ago and it was brutal, and I went for the chin yesterday. Now unfortunately I think the stache is here to stay for the rest of the week.
“Sorry, Elizabeth … but I feel like until we shoot over par or whatever, then we’ll shave it off, but right now it’s here to stay. Shout out, Carson Young.”
The short game was what really kept Lower’s round on track at day’s end after he missed a few greens.
SAN ANTONIO — He might hail from Northeast Ohio, but Justin Lower sure felt right at home in Central Texas on Thursday during the first round of the 2024 Valero Texas Open.
And why wouldn’t he?
With winds swirling in all directions, TPC San Antonio’s Oaks Course felt akin to a breezy day in Akron, where Lower was born. His putter, long the strength of his game, came through in big ways down the stretch as he saved par on both 16 and 17 and then dropped a long birdie putt on 18 to post a 66 that made him the clubhouse leader.
His wife, Janise, was quick to kiss him when he stepped off the final hole, oh, and by the way, Lower just happened to be celebrating his 35th birthday.
Not a bad day for a guy who posted a career-best third-place finish at the Mexico Open at Vidanta less than two months ago.
And while his tee-to-green game was strong early on while posting birdies on two of the first three holes and hanging up a 33 at the turn, the short game was what really kept his round on track at day’s end when he missed a few greens.
“The short game … it can really save you around a place like this,” Lower said. “Luckily, the rough isn’t too penalizing. If it was five inches everywhere, I don’t think we’d finish probably with the wind and everything. My short game’s been great, my putting’s finally starting to come around. Hopefully, it continues that trend and yeah, I’m extremely proud of the round.”
Lower had an emotional moment at the Valspar Championship when he stepped on his wedge after a missed bunker shot, but it’s one of the few lowlights in what’s been an upward trajectory for the Malone University product. Last week at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, Lower made four birdies down the stretch to get on the right side of the cutline and then fired a 68 on Sunday to finish inside the top 30.
“That moment of frustration that probably a lot of people saw, I wasn’t feeling great,” Lower said. “I had been not sick, but just battling kind of physical ailments, I had like a trap thing going on and I was just really frustrated. It was my I think fifth (tournament) in a row. I know better than to play four in a row.
“And I’m human, we’re all human out here. I just had a moment of frustration. We went home after that round and it was just nice to be home and sleep in my own bed for a couple nights. Then we went down to Houston and I played solid last week, it was nothing great. But yeah, I just needed a moment, I guess.”
Lower now finds himself in unfamiliar territory as he’ll be looking back at most of the field when Friday’s second round begins, but he doesn’t feel he’s got a target just yet. For example, as the opening round’s first wave concluded, Max Homa (68) was two shots behind Lower, while Collin Morikawa and two-time champ Corey Conners were both four back after posting rounds of 70.
And besides, why not just enjoy a day like Thursday, when he was leading a PGA Tour event and planned to head out to a nearby joint called Blanco BBQ, a spot his cousin recently introduced him to?
“I don’t know if I’m the hunted at all. I’m still a quote-unquote mule out here as compared to other guys, but I’m just trying to play as best as I can, I’m trying to learn as much as I can every day,” Lower said. “I find myself watching guys on the range just to see if I can pick anything up, stuff like that, and around the greens especially. I’ve learned a lot and I feel like I’m kind of coming into my own finally.
It’s been a frustrating stretch for the pro, who finished tied for third at the Mexico Open.
Justin Lower’s opening round of the Valspar Championship was one to forget with the star finishing the day with a 77 at Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor, Florida.
It’s been a frustrating stretch for Lower, who finished tied for third at the Mexico Open but has since missed two of the last three cuts, including last week at the Players Championship.
And his discontent grew on his final hole of the opening round as he tried to blast out of a greenside bunker and caught the fringe.
As Lower was exiting the bunker, he stepped on his sand wedge, snapping it in two.
With what would certainly be an uphill day on Friday, as the cutline is expected to fall somewhere near par, Lower withdrew prior to the second round of play, with no explanation given on his exit.
Justin Lower WD prior to the second round of the Valspar Championship.
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) March 22, 2024
Bhatia tied for 10th in Mexico and tied for 17th at last year’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
After a week south of the border, the PGA Tour is in Southampton, Bermuda, for the 2023 Butterfield Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Course.
Defending champion Seamus Power is not in the field due to a lingering hip injury that forced him to withdraw from the Irish Open in September. His last Tour start came at the BMW Championship during the FedEx Cup Playoffs where he finished solo 48th.
Other players in the field include Lucas Glover, Luke List and Akshay Bhatia.
Golf course
Port Royal Golf Course | Par 71 | 6,828 yards
Seamus Power hits his first shot on the 17th hole during the final round of the 2022 Butterfield Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Course on October 30, 2022 in Southampton, Bermuda. (Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
But for others, it’s getting late in the game to make a big splash and take care of business. One golfer who can rest easy over the final two weeks is Justin Lower, who has been a perennial bubble boy both on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour. But after a T-23 this week, Lower improved three spots to No. 107 in the standings.
“I thought about it a little bit. I did the math, I think I had a 75-point lead over the 125 spot, and I haven’t looked at projections at all this week,” he said. “It’s nice to just kind of relax a little bit, but it’s hard for me to relax out here.”
Asked what he will miss most about being on the bubble, he answered, “Absolutely nothing.”
Here’s who moved up and down the point standings south of the border.
NORTH YORK, Ontario – Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose were grouped together for the opening round of the 2023 RBC Canadian Open and walking down the first fairway the pair made a deal: no talk about the PGA Tour’s partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund until lunch.
“Rosie and I said, ‘All right, no chatting until lunch so that we can actually concentrate on what we’re doing out there,” said McIlroy, the event’s two-time defending champion who shot a 1-under 71 at Oakdale Golf and Country Club. “So it was nice to play a round of golf and focus on something else for those five hours we were out there.”
After fighting for professional golf supremacy for more than a year now, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan shocked the sports world with the news that the Tour would be partnering with the PIF, the very group it was countersuing amid its struggle with LIV Golf. With the PIF as its sole funder, the upstart circuit has long been criticized as a way for Saudi Arabia to sportswash its controversial human rights record, which includes accusations of wide-ranging human rights abuses, including politically motivated killings, torture, forced disappearances and inhumane treatment of prisoners.
And while the dust has far from settled on the announcement of the new deal that may shake up professional golf as we know it, it was back to business as usual for the PGA Tour on Thursday in Canada, where the people were just as welcoming as the golf course (so long as you’re in the fairway).
After the early wave of the first round of the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, four players are tied for the lead after taking advantage of calm conditions on Thursday morning at Oakdale Golf and Country Club. Playing in his national open for the seventh time, Corey Conners fired a bogey-free 5-under 67 and sits atop the leaderboard alongside Aaron Rai, Justin Lower and Chesson Hadley.
Conners is looking to become the first Canadian to win the Canadian Open since Pat Fletcher in 1954, a drought that Mike Weir nearly ended in 2004 before his playoff loss to Vijay Singh. David Hearn had a two-shot lead in the final round in 2015 as late as the 15th hole, but ultimately lost out to Jason Day. A year later, amateur Jared du Toit was a shot back on Sunday before finishing T-9, three behind winner Jhonattan Vegas.
“I think golf is a funny game. It’s very different on a day-to-day basis,” said Rai, who has missed four of his last five cuts on Tour. “But it’s funny, the more you try and force it and impose it on coming days, the less it seems to happen. So we’ll definitely take the positives and just try and approach the rounds with the right kind of mindset. Stay patient. Just see what happens, really.
“I’ve been really working hard on driving it better. I’ve driven it like crap all year,” added Lower. “Just really trying to get the ball in the fairway. Especially around this place with the rough being so thick.”
“Course is good. It’s penal,” echoed McIlroy. “If you miss fairways the rough is very, very thick … I certainly hit a few loose shots and got myself out of position, and the golf course does start to get quite tricky from there. So need to do a better job of just putting my ball in play off the tee. Then from there the golf course is still quite scorable.”
While he isn’t at the top of the leaderboard, one of the stars of the day was rookie Ludvig Aberg, who is making his pro debut this week after finishing atop the PGA Tour University rankings and earning a Tour card for the rest of the season. The Texas Tech product began his professional career 4 under on the front nine before signing for a 3-under 69.
“I was nervous. I mean, I think it would have been weird if I wasn’t nervous,” said Aberg of his emotions on the first tee. “But I tried to embrace it. I tried to view it as something fun.”
“I’m super fortunate to be in this position, to actually get my Tour card,” said the 23-year-old from Eslov, Sweden. “I’m just going to be prepared to play a lot of golf. Play as much as I can, get as many points as I can and kind of see where that takes me.”
