Tag: Vince Whaley

Is it finally Maverick McNealy’s time? That and more from third round of 2024 RSM Classic

Catch up on the action from St. Simons Island here.

Since missing the cut in his first two starts of the FedEx Cup Fall, Maverick McNealy has played high-level golf. He finished T-16 at the Shriners, T-6 at the World Wide Technology and T-17 at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. Now, he’s 18 holes away from claiming his first PGA Tour win at The RSM Classic.

McNealy signed for a 4-under 66 on Saturday, good enough to earn him a share of the 54-hole lead alongside Vince Whaley — we’ll get to him in a minute.

The former Stanford star made two bogeys on his front nine, but cancelled them out and then some with three birdies to make the turn at 1 under. Over his final nine holes, McNealy poured in three birdies, including this beauty on the par-3 17th.

McNealy has long been one of the best putters in the world, so to see him at fifth in Strokes Gained: Putting through three rounds isn’t unexpected. But the putter isn’t the only thing clicking for McNealy this week. The 29-year-old is ranked 21st in SG: Off the Tee, fourth in SG: Approach and 22nd in SG: Around the Green.

RSM Classic: Leaderboard | Photos

The 67th-ranked player in the world has finished runner-up twice in his career. We’ll see if he can finally get it over the finish line on Sunday.

If you missed any of Saturday’s action, no worries, we have you covered. Here are some notes from Day 3 at Sea Island Golf Club.

Notes from third round of RSM Classic

Vince Whaley tied for the lead

Vince Whaley plays his shot from the third tee during the third round of The RSM Classic 2024 on the Seaside course at Sea Island Resort. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Whaley grabbed a share of fifth at last week’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship, and at last year’s RSM, he tied for 13th. So taking into account form and tournament history, it’s not a big surprise to see Whaley at the top of the leaderboard with 18 holes to play.

He shot 67-68 over the first two days, but turned it to another level on Saturday with a 7-under 63.

The 29-year-old from Kentucky made four birdies on the front nine and three more on the back, while keeping squares off the card. In fact, he’s only made three bogeys through 54 holes.

“Yeah, it feels awesome,” Whaley said when asked how it feels to be tied for the lead. “I’ve obviously played some good golf to this point, so just excited for the opportunity.”

Daniel Berger is vibin’

2024 RSM Classic
Daniel Berger of the United States acknowledges the crowd on the 12th green during the third round of The RSM Classic 2024 on the Seaside course at Sea Island Resort on November 23, 2024 in St Simons Island, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Berger, once ranked 12th in the world, is still making his way back from an injury that kept him sidelined for 19 months. He’s seen some mixed results this year — 16 made cuts in 24 previous starts — but thanks to a third-round 7-under 63, he’s in position to win for the first time since 2021 — AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am — and fifth time overall.

Berger made four birdies in a six-hole stretch on his front nine to make the turn with a 4-under 31. On his way home, the 31-year-old sandwiched a bogey on 14 with birdies on Nos. 12, 13, and 15 before adding another on 18 to close out his day.

“I hit it in the fairway, I hit it on the green and I made a lot of putts today, so that’s a recipe for a good score,” Berger said.

He entered the week No. 127 in the FedEx Cup, so a solid final round should move him safely inside the top 125.

But a win would take care of that and whole lot more.

Top 10 and odds to win

Position Player Score Odds to win
T-1 Vince Whaley 14 under (+360)
T-1 Maverick McNealy 14 under (+240)
T-3 Daniel Berger 12 under (+850)
T-3 Mackenzie Hughes 12 under (+650)
T-3 Michael Thorbjornsen 12 under (+750)
T-3 Patrick Fishburn 12 under (+900)
T-7 Luke Clanton 11 under (+900)
T-7 Lee Hodges 11 under (+2500)
T-9 Nico Echavarria 10 under (+4500)
T-9 Michael Kim 10 under (+4500)

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Butterfield Bermuda Championship 2024 odds, course history and picks to win

It’s time to pick a winner.

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.

Bermuda Championship: Tournament hub

Golf course

Port Royal Golf Course | Par 71 | 6,828 yards

2023 Butterfield Bermuda Championship
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

Butterfield Bermuda Championship odds, favorites

Player Odds 2023 finish
Seamus Power +1600 N/A
Mackenzie Hughes +1600 N/A
Maverick McNealy +2000 N/A
Patrick Rodgers +2000 N/A
Justin Lower +2000 T-20
Ben Griffin +2000 T-37
Doug Ghim +2200 N/A
Lucas Glover +2800 T-45
Matti Schmid +2800 3rd
Sam Stevens +2800 N/A
Jhonattan Vegas +3000 N/A
Andrew Novak +3000 T-45
Daniel Berger +3500 N/A
Carson Young +4000 N/A
Andrew Putnam +4000 N/A
Joe Highsmith +4000 N/A
Kevin Yu +4000 T-30
Brendon Todd +4000 T-20
Rico Hoey +4500 N/A
Nick Taylor +4500 N/A
Jacob Bridgeman +4500 N/A
Alex Smalley +4500 T-30
Mark Hubbard +5000 T-20
Nick Hardy +5000 T-45
Greyson Sigg +5000 N/A
Nico Echavarria +5500 T-76
Vince Whaley +5500 T-8
Michael Kim +6000 N/A
Henrik Norlander +6500 N/A
Joseph Bramlett +7000 N/A
Chesson Hadley +7000 N/A
Hayden Springer +7500 N/A
Ben Kohles +7500 N/A
K.H. Lee +8000 N/A
Joel Dahmen +8000 N/A
S.Y. Noh +8000 T-72
Justin Suh +8000 N/A
Cameron Champ +8000 N/A
Chad Ramey +9000 N/A
Kevin Streelman +9000 N/A
Nate Lashley +9000 N/A
Dylan Wu +9000 T-30
Ryo Hisatsune +9000 N/A
Wesley Bryan +9000 T-37
Pierceson Coody +9000 N/A
Kevin Chappell +10000 T-45
Sam Ryder +10000 N/A

Picks to win the 2024 Butterfield Bermuda Championship

Ben Griffin

2024 FedEx St. Jude Championship
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

2024 World Wide Technology Championship
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.

Alex Noren leads, Camilo Villegas back in the mix and more from Saturday at 2023 Butterfield Bermuda Championship

Catch up on Saturday’s action here.

Alex Noren has 11 international wins, he has played in the Ryder Cup and he has represented Sweden at the Olympics. But come Sunday, he’ll have a chance to do something he has never done before — win on the PGA Tour.

After rounds of 61-66 over the first two days, Noren shot a 4-under 67 around Port Royal Golf Course on Saturday and holds a one-shot lead at the 2023 Butterfield Bermuda Championship with 18 holes to play.

The Swede, who tied for third at the Shriners Children’s Open a month ago in Las Vegas, kept the bogeys off the card during his third round. Despite only hitting eight fairways (T-43 in the field), Noren was crisp with his irons, missing just four greens (T-12).

In 27 previous starts this season, Noren has six top-25 finishes and three top-10s. His last worldwide win came at the 2018 HNA Open de France.

If you missed any of the action on Saturday, no worries, we have you covered. Here are some takeaways from the third round of the 2023 Butterfield Bermuda Championship at Port Royal.

Instead of getting lost in the Bermuda Triangle, these 4 pros found their game in the first round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship

“I was just coming out to shake the rust off and have a good time today and I guess I did.”

The PGA Tour is visiting the eastern tip of the North Atlantic Ocean and the infamous Bermuda Triangle, which is best known as a place where planes, ships and people are alleged to have gone mysteriously missing. But this week at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, it is where a lot of veterans are finding their game.

None more so than Sweden’s Alex Noren, who made a tournament-record 11 birdies in calm conditions Thursday morning at Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton, Bermuda. Noren tied the course record with a 10-under 61 and set his personal low 18-hole scoring mark in 510 official stroke-play rounds on the Tour en route to grabbing a two-stroke lead over four golfers when play was suspended during the first round due to darkness with nine players left to complete the round.

“It was a long time ago I had like a really low round, you know, lower than maybe 5, 6 under, so I feel good,” Noren said. “That was pretty much the closest I’ve got to the hole in a very, very long time.”

That included finishing the day in style by stuffing his approach inside a foot for his third birdie in his final four holes. Noren, for one, hopes that the trademark wind at Port Royal, which is the course’s main defense, will pick up as the tournament continues.

“I like the wind,” Noren said. “If it’s not windy, it’s like you’ve got to keep these unbelievable low rounds up and it’s not that easy.”

It’s been a bit of a struggle this season for the 41-year-old Noren. He has 10 career wins on the DP World Tour and once ranked as high as No. 8 in the world but remains winless in 162 career starts on the PGA Tour. He’s dipped to 62nd in the world and recorded just three top-10 finishes this season.

“It’s been a weird year,” he said, but he’s trending in the right direction after a T-3 at the Shriners Children’s Open last month.

Weird would be a kind description for the season to date for Robert Garrigus. He’s missed the cut in all eight of his PGA Tour starts this season and 15 in a row. But on Thursday, he signed for a bogey-free 8-under 63.

“My putting, it was just as good as I think I’ve putted in, I don’t know, 5 years,” he said.

Garrigus, 45, was a late addition into the tournament, flying to Bermuda figuring he’d enjoy a vacation if he failed to get a spot.

“Just knowing that I was playing in a tournament like gave me a little juice,” he said. “I was just coming out to shake the rust off and have a good time today and I guess I did. It was a lot of fun.”

He’s tied for second with D.J. Trahan, Vincent Whaley, and Dylan Wu. Whaley, 28, ranked No. 222 in the FedEx Cup standings during the regular season and is making just his 13th start this season as he battled back from a right wrist injury he suffered two years ago at the RBC Canadian Open. He said he’s finally healthy again. That and a coaching change to Cameron McCormick before the FedEx Cup Fall began has helped him make four straight cuts and shoot his career-low on Tour on Thursday.

“I grew up working with him in Dallas and kind of got back into it, and it’s been great,” Whaley said.

Trahan, 42, last won on Tour in 2008 and started the week at No. 214 in the FedEx Cup standings. He made four birdies in a row starting at the fourth hole, but it was a par at 16 that made his day.

“It was the best par on a par-3 I ever had in my life,” he declared. “I hit the worst tee shot and then I chipped it down in the bunker, it was about the best I could do, and then I holed it out of the bunker. But it was such a circus show.”

There was also a Tour record set on Thursday. Veteran pro Adam Long hit his 60th straight fairway when he found the short grass on his second hole, a par-5, after going 56-for-56 last week at the World Wide Technology Championship, shattering Brian Claar’s record of 59 straight fairways hit, set in 1992. Long’s streak dated to his final two holes at the Shriners Children’s Open and finally came to an end with 69 when he misfired at No. 15 at Port Royal.

“The one that missed, it was a 3-wood that I kind of hit up in the air a little too spinny and the wind caught it. Didn’t quite go far enough so it stayed in the rough,” Long said. “Made Thursday a little more exciting than usual.”

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2023 World Wide Technology Championship odds and picks to win

Here are four picks for this week’s event south of the border.

After a week off, the PGA Tour is south of the border for the 2023 World Wide Technology Championship at the Tiger Woods-designed El Cardonal at Diamante in Los Cabos, Mexico.

European Ryder Cupper Ludvig Aberg, who lost in a playoff at the Sanderson Farms Championship and tied for 13th at the Shriners Children’s Open in two starts during the FedEx Cup Fall, is the betting favorite at +900 (9/1). Cameron Young is next at +1100 (11/1), as he makes his first start since the BMW Championship. Fortinet Championship winner Sahith Theegala rounds out the top three in odds at +1600 (16/1).

WWT Championship: Tiger Woods merch photos

Other players in the field include Akshay Bhatia, Emiliano Grillo, Cameron Champ and Matt Kuchar.

Golf course

El Cardonal at Diamante | Par 72 | 7,452 yards

Diamante Cabo San Lucas
The Tiger Woods-designed El Cardonal Golf Course at Diamante Cabo San Lucas (Photo: Diamante)

Betting preview