Horses for Courses: Corales Puntacana Championship
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All-time best shots from Corales Puntacana
The PGATOUR Fantasy Game follows stroke play back to the Caribbean this week as the Corales Golf Course in Punta Cana Dominican Republic hosts the 120 pros not qualified for the World Golf Championships - Dell Match Play.
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This will be the seventh consecutive year that Tom Fazio's Corales Golf Course will be used across both the PGA and Korn Ferry Tours. The massive coastal layout stretches to almost 7,700 yards and will play to Par-72. Supreme Paspalum covers the property and so does 50 acres of accepting fairway cut to navigate the Caribbean breezes. Supreme Paspalum greens also provide ample targets, 6,000 square feet on average, as Mother Nature isn't always accommodating in paradise. She'll have her say on the "Devil's Elbow", the final three holes that hang off the cliffs over the Caribbean and are exposed to the elements.
The 2020 edition was moved to late September when she didn't cooperate. When Mother Nature cooperates, 18-under is a very popular winning score. Three of the four PGATOUR winners have posted that number. The two Korn Ferry Winners posted 20-under and 24-under in the first two editions.
A chance of a shower on Thursday is about the extent of the weather this week. Sunshine is prevalent as so are easterly breezes as scoring should return to its normal range.
The field of 120 is playing for a prize pool of $3.7 million with the winner taking home $666,000 plus 300 FedExCup points. The top 65 and ties will play the final two rounds.
Let's find some horses for courses!
Horses for Courses
| Recent Winners entered this week (cuts made/events entered) | Top 10s | Top 25s | 2022 BET MGM ODDS Win, Top 10, Top 20 |
| 2021: Joel Dahmen (3/3) | 1 | 3 | +2000; +200; -110 |
| 2020: Hudson Swafford (2/3) | 2 | 2 | +4000; +400; +190 |
| 2019: Graeme McDowell (2/4) | 2 | 2 | +3500; +400; +190 |
| 2018: Brice Garnett (4/4) | 2 | 2 | +3300; +350; +170 |
| KFT 2017: Nate Lashley (3/4) | 1 | 1 | +3000; +300; +140 |
| KFT 2016: Dominic Bozzelli (2/3) | 0 | 0 | +50000; +4000; +1600 |
| Veteran Presence entered this week (cuts made/events entered) | Top 10s | Top 25s | 2022 BET MGM ODDS Win, Top 10, Top 20 |
| Rafael Campos (1/4) | 1 | 1 | +15000; +1200; +550 |
| Emiliano Grillo (3/3) | 1 | 2 | +4000; +400; +175 |
| Kelly Kraft (3/4) | 2 | 3 | +10000; +1000; +150 |
| Jonathan Byrd (4/4) | 1 | 1 | +12500; +900; +375 |
| Aaron Baddeley (2/3) | 1 | 1 | +15000; +1200; +550 |
| DJ Trahan (4/4) | 1 | 1 | +15000; +1400; +650 |
| Gaining Traction entered this week (cuts made/events entered) | Top 10s | Top 25s | 2022 BET MGM ODDS Win, Top 10, Top 20 |
| Michael Gligic (1/2) | 1 | 1 | +12500; +1100; +500 |
| Danny Willett (1/1) | 1 | 1 | +5000; +450; +200 |
| Greyson Sigg (1/1) | 1 | 1 | +4000; +350; +165 |
| Chesson Hadley (1/1) | 0 | 1 | +12500; +1200; +550 |
| Ben Martin (2/2) | 1 | 1 | +20000; +1600; +750 |
| Cam Percy (2/2) | 1 | 1 | +6600; +650; +300 |
| Kramer Hickok (2/2) | 1 | 2 | +3300; +333; +160 |
| Alex Smalley (2/2) | 0 | 2 | +3300; +300; +150 |
| Peter Uihlein (2/3) | 0 | 2 | +4000; +350; +165 |
Odds sourced on Tuesday, March 22 at 6 p.m. ET. For live odds visit betmgm.
Recent Event Winner Stats
| Season | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Winner | Joel Dahmen | Hudson Swafford | Graeme McDowell | Brice Garnett |
| Score | 276 (-12) | 270 (-18) | 270 (-18) | 270 (-18) |
| MOV | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Cut | 1-over | 3-under | 2-under | |
| Age | 33 | 33 | 39 | 34 |
| Weather Issues | Warm, GUSTY 25-30mph | Warm, light winds | Warm, light winds | Warm, light winds |
| Pre Tournament Odds | +4000 | +20000 | +3000 | +5000 |
| Driving Distance | 17th | 13 | 53 | 51 |
| Accuracy | T40 | T14 | T31 | T20 |
| GIR | T10 | T26 | T16 | T24 |
| Ball-Striking | 18 | 9 | T33 | 29 |
| Putting: BOB% | 3 | 10 | 1 | 1 |
| Scrambling | 4 | T21 | T47 | 15 |
| Overall Putting Average | T3 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| 3-Putt Avoidance | T12 (1) | T1 (0) | T1 (0) | T5 (1) |
| Par-3 Scoring | T20 | T2 | T3 | 1 |
| Par-4 Scoring | T1 | T15 | T6 | T9 |
| Par-5 Scoring | T5 | T2 | T10 | T2 |
| Birdies | 19 (T1) | 21 (T5) | 27 (1st) | 23 (1st) |
| Eagles | 0 | 2 (T1) | 0 | 0 |
| Bogey Avoidance | T4 (6) | T6 (6) | T24 (8) | T9 (7) |
Extra Credit (players entered this week only)
2021
Winner Joel Dahmen (33 years old) became the fifth consecutive 30-something to win on this track across both TOURS. ... Rafael Campos (T2) shared the 36 and 54 hole leads and led the field in bogey avoidance (3 bogeys). ... Michael Gligic (T4) played the middle 36 holes without a bogey picking up his only top 10 on TOUR. ... 2019 champion Graeme McDowell (T4) bogeyed his last two holes to miss forcing a playoff. ... Emiliano Grillo (T6) posted the low round of the week with 65 and reinforced his love for Paspalum (see Puerto Rico results). ... 2020 winner Hudson Swafford (T6) was T5 GIR and T12 fairways in a stern defense. ... 2016 Masters winner Danny Willett (8th) played in the penultimate group with Gligic before posting 73. ... 2018 winner Brice Garnett (T9) made it three past champions from three events in the top 10 and was bogey free in the first and last rounds. ... Ben Martin (T9) finished T4 Fairways and T7 Putting. ... Greyson Sigg (T9) picked up his first PGA TOUR top 10 in just his third start as he was T2 GIR. ... Chesson Hadley (T13) and David Hearn (T13) tied Dahmen for the most birdies with 19. ... Scoring average was 72.484, the highest ever. ... 15 bogey free rounds for the week.
2020
Tournament was moved from March to late September, making it the first of TWO events on the TOUR calendar for 2020-21. Winner Hudson Swafford didn't mind the shift as he claimed his second TOUR victory at age 33. He's the only player to post four rounds in the 60s in this event. ... 2017 KFT winner on this track Nate Lashley (4th) made only one bogey over the last 36 holes. ... Noted Aussie ball-striker Cam Percy (T8) was T4 GIR. ... Patrick Rodgers (T11) finished T73 fairways but T4 GIR. ... Defending champion Graeme McDowell (MC) posted 70-73. ... KFT member Alex Smalley (T14) and Jonathan Byrd (T28) only squared four bogeys each for the week. ... Scoring average was 71.118. ... 31 bogey free rounds. ... Top 20 players 10-under par or better.
2019
Winner Graeme McDowell chewed up 7,670 yards with 27 birdies to lead the field at age 39. ... Jonathan Byrd (4th) only squared three bogeys and a double to co-lead the field. ... Aaron Baddeley (T7) led the field in total putts with 102. ... Kramer Hickok (T10) picked up his first top 10 in his 18th start on TOUR and backed it with T21 in 2021. ... Veteran DJ Trahan (T10) hasn't missed in four trips career and co-led the field in Fairways hit. ... Joel Dahmen (T12) opened with 66 and closed with 67. ... Seth Reeves (T18) only made four bogeys on the week to tie Byrd. ... Defending champions Brice Garnett (T39) posted all four rounds in the red. ... Scoring average 70.933. ... 23 bogey free rounds. ... Top 25 players 10-under or better.
Notes:
• Return to Paspalum for the first time since those who played Grand Reserve Puerto Rico Open.
• All six past champions across both TOURS are entered.
• McDowell is the only international winner.
• Dominic Bozzelli posted 24-under in the inaugural event on the KFT and is the only winner in the 20s at 24.
• Tournament scoring record is 62 set three times in 2016.
• PGATOUR Tournament scoring record is 63 twice, once by Brice Garnett in 2018.
• Last playoff: None. The margin of victory has been one shot four times and four shots twice.
• David Hearn and Adam Schenk don't have any top 10 paydays in four starts each but they've collected on every visit.
• Thomas Detry is perfect from three visits with T13 the best of the bunch.
• Alex Smalley cashed T22-T14 the last two events.
• Peter Uihlein lost in a playoff last week on KFT and has cashed T22-MC-T22 in his last three here.
• Kelly Kraft is the only non-winner entered this week with a pair of top 10 paychecks. The Texan was T5 in 2019 and third in 2018.
Key stat leaders
Top golfers in each statistic on the 2020-2021 PGA TOUR are listed only if they are scheduled to compete this week; Select players with top 10 finishes since 2017.
| Rounds in the 60s | |
| Rank | Player |
| 15 | Emiliano Grillo |
| 18 | Brian Stuard |
| 32 | Mark Hubbard |
| 35 | Brice Garnett |
| 40 | Adam Schenk |
| 45 | Jhonattan Vegas |
| 56 | Hank Lebioda |
| 56 | Roger Sloan |
| Par-5 Scoring | |
| Rank | Player |
| 28 | Hank Lebioda |
| 30 | Vince Whaley |
| 35 | Kevin Tway |
| 51 | Bill Haas |
| 51 | Patrick Rodgers |
| 51 | Hudson Swafford |
| 51 | Jhonattan Vegas |
| 63 | Bo Hoag |
| 63 | Ben Martin |
| 63 | Sean O'Hair |
| 63 | Adam Schenk |
| 63 | Roger Sloan |
| 63 | Danny Willett |
| Strokes-Gained: Putting | |
| Rank | Player |
| 11 | Chesson Hadley |
| 27 | Hank Lebioda |
| 31 | Brice Garnett |
| 34 | Michael Gligic |
| 39 | Ryan Armour |
| 45 | Rafa Cabrera Bello |
| 46 | Aaron Baddeley |
| 48 | Austin Cook |
| 49 | Vaughn Taylor |
| 52 | Mark Hubbard |
| 54 | Martin Trainer |
| 58 | David Hearn |
| 59 | Brian Stuard |