With 64 of the top ranked players in the world competing in Texas, the PGA Tour offers up an alternate field event in the Dominican Republic with this week’s Corales Puntacana Championship. The additional tournaments can be career changing for some players like Ryan Brehm, who retained his Tour card by winning the Puerto Rico Open just a few weeks ago. The field is littered with lesser known players, though it doesn’t mean they can’t play. Major champions Graeme McDowell and Danny Willett are scheduled to peg it up and are featured in several tournament matchups. Jhonattan Vegas emerged as the betting favorite in the outright market, but odds suggest a wide open field that offers a great chance to make some coin on tournament matchups. Check out the latest matchup odds at BookMaker.eu when you’re ready to place a wager.
Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship Matchup Odds
Jhonattan Vegas -149 vs. Joel Dahmen +119
Jhonattan Vegas -144 vs. Sahith Theegala +114
Joel Dahmen -111 vs. Sahith Theegala -119
Joel Dahmen -155 vs. Mark Hubbard +124
Sahith Theegala -158 vs. Mark Hubbard +126
Patrick Rodgers -126 vs. Emiliano Grillo -104
Mark Hubbard -115 vs. Nate Lashley -115
Mark Hubbard -116 vs. Adam Svensson -114
Nate Lashley -117 vs. Adam Svensson -113
Adam Svensson -110 vs. Brice Garnett -120
Kramer Hickok -103 vs. Doc Redman -127
Brice Garnett -111 vs. Kramer Hickok -119
Doc Redman -225 vs. Graeme McDowell +176
Thomas Detry -120 vs. Matthias Schwab -110
Brian Stuard -103 vs. Aaron Rai -127
Rasmus Hojgaard -109 vs. Nicolai Hojgaard -121
Hao Tong Li +176 vs. Alex Smalley -225
Peter Uihlein -101 vs. Patrick Rodgers -129
Hudson Swafford +115 vs. Emiliano Grillo -145
Martin Kaymer -151 vs. Rafael Cabrera Bello +121
Greyson Sigg -105 vs. Nick Taylor -125
Danny Willett -155 vs. Brandon Wu +124
Austin Smotherman -120 vs. David Lipsky -110
David Lipsky -140 vs. Chad Ramey +110
Kurt Kitayama +114 vs. Martin Kaymer -144
Need to Know
The Corales Course at Punta cana Resort stretches out to nearly 7,700 yards and is one of the longest tracks players will see. Despite its length it’s a relatively easy course for the pros as evidenced by past scores. As a stop on the Korn Ferry Tour in its first two years, the winner went 20-under or better. Last year’s champ Joel Dahmen battled conditions to a 12-under breaking a string of three straight -18 winners. Low scores are out there if the wind doesn’t blow too hard, but that’s not a guarantee, however, since the course has coastal elements sitting on the eastern edge of the island. The distance and open fairways play to big hitters, but the course will reward ball-strikers and birdie makers. To prove just how unpredictable it can get, Graeme McDowell won in 2019 after carding an opening 73. So there is hope.
Corales Puntacana Championship Matchup Picks
Graeme McDowell +176 vs. Doc Redman
So, his best days are probably behind him but McDowell can still crank it up and he’s a proven winner with 16 professional titles. The last of his four PGA Tour wins was on this layout in 2019 when he overcame an opening 73 to win by a stroke. He grabbed a T4 in the DR last year and more recently was T13 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. I was surprised to see his price in this matchup and I have less of a problem backing him because of it.
Sahith Theegala +114 vs. Jhonattan Vegas
Sometimes you have to take a risk at the betting window, that’s why they call it gambling. It’s not always a good strategy to go against the favorite, but Theegala has plenty of upside and should thrive in this event. Rookies have traditionally done well in this tournament and Theegala is one of the best in the freshman class. He’s also loaded with confidence after a strong showing at the Valspar where he finished T7 and was among the leaders in strokes gained: tee to green. At plus odds I think Theegala is a good investment.
Hudson Swafford +115 vs. Emiliano Grillo
A recent run of poor form has Swafford at plus-odds. He’s missed the cut in four of his last five starts with a T60 the other result in that span. But looking back to last year when Swafford defended his title here, he was on a similar run and still managed a T6. And I don’t anticipate the troubles continuing since he won The American Express just six starts ago. Swafford has been a magician on this layout with a 68.6 scoring average across his last eight rounds.
Peter Uihlein -101 vs. Patrick Rodgers
This tournament started as a stop on the Korn Ferry Tour so why not back a player who has enjoyed success at that level. Uihlein has a pair of KFT wins on his resume and just last week lost in a playoff in Louisiana. That’s the primary reason he’s competing this week, but he also has a pair of top-25s in two starts at Corales. This is certainly a field to his liking and his price is good enough for me to back him.
Nicolai Hojgaard -121 vs. Rasmus Hojgaard
You can’t go wrong if you pick Hojgaard in this matchup. The twins are trying to make the transition from the DP World Tour taking baby steps along the way. They’ll tee it up together for the first time on the PGA Tour side this week after both had success in Europe. Nicolai is the higher ranked of the two coming off a win last month in the UAE. Meanwhile, Rasmus finished T20 or worse in his four starts this year. I’ll back the hotter of the two in this real head-to-head matchup.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker.eu. The Corales Puntacana Championship is scheduled for March 24-27 and can be seen on Golf Channel.
