Power Rankings: Principal Charity Classic
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For the ninth time in 10 years and the 21st overall, the Wakonda Club in Des Moines will be the battery recharging station after two consecutive events of major championship golf on PGA TOUR Champions.
The last two events here (no event 2020, COVID-19) have provided fantastic drama over the 54 holes. Defending champion Stephen Ames was seven shots off the lead before posting 67 on Sunday to win by one. In 2019, Kevin Sutherland overcame EIGHT shots while setting the course record (62) and establishing the tournament scoring record (-17).
Of the last five winners, four have won by a shot or needed a playoff. The other won by two in a rain-shortened event.
So much for a week of relaxing!
A 78-player field will enjoy 54 holes without a cut, as usual on PGA TOUR Champions. On the line this week is a purse of $1.85 million, with the winner taking home $277,500.
POWER RANKINGS
| RANK | PLAYER | COMMENT | ||
Just Missed: Kevin Sutherland, Shane Bertsch, Ernie Els, Tim Petrovic, Paul Goydos
Wakonda Club
| Yards (per official scorecard): | 6,851 |
| Par: | 72 (36-36) |
| Greens: | A1/A4 Bentgrass; 6,500 square feet on average. |
| Stimpmeter: | Tournament Speed |
| Rough: | Kentucky Bluegrass/Fescue at 2.5 inches. |
| Bunkers/Water Hazards | 42/6 (2) |
| Architects: | William Royce Langford (1922) |
| Defending Champion: | Stephen Ames (-12) |
| Tournament Course Record: | 62; Kevin Sutherland (2019) |
The last five seasons, Wakonda Club has played under par and has rated in the easier third of courses on PGA TOUR Champions.
Tight fairways, just 26 acres, shouldn't bother this field as they've been used to that recently. Bigger Bentgrass greens will help approaches that have wandered into the Bluegrass and putters who don't find as many GIR.
The pressure of major championship golf has subsided and that, plus four par-5 holes, should help scoring across the board. Only 42 bunkers and two water penalty areas should limit recovery shots.
As the last two winners have proven, it's really not over until it's over. I'm expecting some Sunday afternoon drama again this time around unless Steven/Stephen/Steve catches fire again!
Mother Nature provides perfect spring days until a chance of afternoon thunderstorms could make some noise on Saturday. Temperatures in the mid-to-upper 70s and winds not providing much breeze will make for ideal scoring conditions.
Recent Winners - Wakonda Club
| Year | Winner | Score | Comment |
| 2021 | Stephen Ames | -12 | Came from seven shots off the pace to defeat countryman Mike Weir by one. |
| 2019 | Kevin Sutherland | -17 | Tournament scoring record plus course record plus an eight-shot comeback equals fantastic. |
| 2018 | Tom Lehman | -13 | Won a rain-shortened 36-hole event by two. |
| 2017 | Brandt Jobe | -14 | Held off Scott McCarron and Kevin Sutherland by a shot. |
| 2016 | Scott McCarron | -15 | Billy Andrade and Miguel Angel Jimenez finished one back. |
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