2021 Palmetto Championship: Tournament preview and picks guide

The PGA visits another new course this week as it makes its way back to the state of South Carolina for the 2021 Palmetto Championship at Congaree Golf Club.

The tour visits South Carolina for a third time this year a week on from the shocking events that unfolded at the Memorial Tournament. Almost a year after golf returned to action the World was reminded that we are still dealing with the pandemic after Jon Rahm’s spectacular performance at Jack’s place was cut short following his third round after it was revealed that he had tested positive for COVID-19.

More from Pro Golf Now

This week’s Palmetto Championship replaces the Canadian Open on the golfing schedule for 2021 and the field for the event isn’t great, to say the least, with most players preparing for next week’s U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.

South Carolina’s own Dustin Johnson headlines the field for this week along with PGA Championship runner-up Brooks Koepka. The 156 man field also includes Matthew Fitzpatrick, Sungjae Im, Tommy Fleetwood, and Tyrrell Hatton who are joined by collegiate standout and Ben Hogan Award recipient John Pak.

Congaree Golf Club, site of the 2021 Palmetto Championship

Tom Fazio’s Congaree is expected to provide players with a unique and challenging test this week on a course that has very much been constructed similar to some of Australia’s Sand Belt designs. The lengthy Congaree runs throughout South Carolina’s beautiful Lowcountry and features wide stretches of natural sandy areas with very firm and fast Bermuda greens.

PAR 71
7,655 Yards
Tom Fazio Design
Bermuda Greens
Field of 156 players/Cutline Top 65 and ties

Past Champions

The only year this event has been held.

The Favorites at the 2021 Palmetto Championship

The odds used in this article are provided by WynnBet and are current at the time of writing, for more betting news and information be sure to check out the recently launched Betsided

(Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

It’s of little surprise to see Dustin Johnson +750 leading the way in this field, Brooks Koepka +800 is right at the top this week as well and if I were to pick from the two it would be Koepka as he looks to be in a better place right now with the state of his game.

Tyrrell Hatton +1200, Matthew Fitzpatrick +1400, and Sungjae Im +1750 follow along next, before Tommy Fleetwood +2250 and Harris English +2500 close out the upper-tier. Congaree seems like a very nice fit for Matthew Fitzpatrick’s game and if I were to choose someone from the top his week he would get my vote.

Midtier

Sweden’s Alex Noren +3000 and England’s Ian Poulter +3000 begin the Middle Tier this week and in doing so further indicate exactly how steep the drop-off in field strength this week is. It’s Alex Noren +3000 though who I begin the card for this week with, the Swede has quietly been putting together some nice results in recent starts, this includes at the Memorial last week where he finished 13th.

Alex gained strokes in every facet last week and he has one of the better short game’s on tour gaining strokes from around the green now in his last five starts, this includes on some of the more difficult courses like Muirfield Village last week, and at Kiawah in the start before. With Congaree expected to play very firm and fast this week the ability to produce on and around the greens will be critical. Noren has not only excelled around the greens, but he has also proved to be one of the better putters on the type of fast Bermuda greens that we should see this week.

Lucas Glover +4000 has some appeal this week as well, he is an ambassador for the course and will have played it more times than most, but after struggling with approach play in three of his last four starts will be left off the card for the Palmetto Championship. Harold Varner III +4000, Kieth Mitchell +4000, and South Africa’s Garrick Higgo +4000 are all listed among a handful of names that close out the Middle Tier this week.

I’ll add one more in this range with Patton Kizzire +4000 who aside from last week has been in terrific form of late. Patton put together back to back 3rd place finishes before missing the cut last week on a course that isn’t really tailored for his game. The 35-year-old has played well at nearby Sea Island on numerous occasions and like Noren before him is another who is excellent on the greens. Kizzire was excellent with his irons as well in both starts prior to last week, so I’ll take a chance that he can rebound on a course this week that may suit his game better.

Long Shots

Luke List +7500

The form hasn’t been great in his most recent starts and there is always the concern around his short game, so there is some risk siding with List in this spot. What Luke does have going for him is that he is one of the best from off the tee and better ball strikers overall in the field this week, he has also played this course several times. List was 6th at the Wells Fargo last month and he has now gained strokes off the tee in eight consecutive starts, the hope for this week is that he can make some putts, as it often is with Luke.

Rafa Cabrera-Bello +7500

The Spaniard has his game trending in the right direction and even popped for a bit at the Memorial last week before eventually finishing 37th. Rafa has made three consecutive cuts now and has gained strokes with his Irons in each of them, he has also had success at some of the dessert courses on the European Tour throughout his career and if this week play’s similar to those could find himself doing well this week.

Next. 2021 Memorial Tournament: Winners and Losers from Muirfield. dark

Bryson Nimmer +25000

I’ll finish by taking a shot with a true longshot, the other Bryson, Bryson Nimmer who is playing in his backyard this week. The Clemson product played his college golf alongside Doc Redman and grew up playing golf not far from Congaree. Nimmer has spent the majority of his time on the Korn Ferry Tour and has recorded two top 30 finishes in his last two starts before he makes his third PGA start this week at the Palmetto Championship. I’ll look to play Bryson in the top 20 and top 10 markets this week also.

2021 Palmetto Championship

Alex Noren +3000

Patton Kizzire +4000

Luke List +75000

Rafa Cabrera-Bello +7500

Bryson Nimmer +25000

Home/Golf News