Golf betting tips: Butterfield Bermuda Championship
2pts win Lucas Herbert to win Bermuda Championship at 6/1 (General)
1pt e.w. Patrick Rodgers to win Bermuda Championship at 14/1 (Unibet, BoyleSports 1/3 1,2)
0.5pts e.w. Graeme McDowell to win Bermuda Championship at 150/1 (General 1/3 1,2)
Take on leaders in Bermuda
With a lack of star names on display there is no doubt that these ‘Fall series’ events on the PGA Tour make for a time of year for some when golf takes more of a back seat as a viewing spectacle, particularly Stateside where the NFL season is in full flow.
For others though the storylines that emerge as lesser known players look to post a win make for some of the most compelling events of the year and of course for the players who manage to grab the opportunity and post a victory it can be lifechanging.
All of this is to say then that while we have no Rahm, DJ or JT in the hunt today the final round of the Bermuda Championship, which is set to be played in windy, wet conditions promises to be a fascinating watch.
In an attempt to avoid any weather delays, tee times have been brought forward with the leaders teeing off at just before 1pm UK time and the man who will head out in poll position in the final group is Taylor Pendrith.
A rookie on the PGA Tour this season Pendrith has been hugely impressive this week, firstly posting a solid 70 in the worst of the weather on Thursday before adding a sizzling 61 on Friday to defy the draw bias and take the 36-hole lead. The Canadian then turned around a slow start on Saturday to play his final 12 holes in 6-under to solidify his position at the top and post 17-under through 54 holes for a three shot lead.
Pendrith’s route to success so far this week has been a combination of big hitting off the tee which has left him plenty of short wedges in, rounded off by a hot putter, and if he can keep that recipe going he will in theory be a tough man to beat.
As we know though things are never as simple on a Sunday as they are for the first three days and with the 30-year-old yet to win on the Korn Ferry Tour or the PGA Tour of course, there are sure to be some nerves. Granted he was a two time winner on the Forme Tour in his home country in 2019 but this is a whole different ball game. If you then throw in the potential volatility created by the weather and I am more than happy to pass on him at odds on.
Who is likely to make a charge?
Sitting behind Pendrith in second place on 14-under is Danny Lee. Life on tour has been a real struggle for Lee of late and a combination of really poor form and injury saw him finish 183rd last season on the Fedex Cup.
Playing this week on a Minor Medical Extension, Lee knows that if he can finish in solo second place this week his card will be secured and you would therefore have to think his onus will be on protecting what he has rather than looking to hunt down the leader. Couple this with it being so long since he was in this position and while it great to see him healthy and contending again he is not for me today.
In contrast to Lee though the man who seemingly has nothing really to loose today and who I will side with is LUCAS HERBERT. Herbert, who starts the day a further shot back on 13-under and who will keep Pendrith and Lee company in the final three ball, is the one man within seven shots of the lead going in to the final round who has winning experience at the highest level over the past couple of years having landed the Dubai Desert Classic last year and then the Irish Open this summer.
Like most Aussies, Herbert is more than comfortable in windy conditions and speaking after his third round he sounded like he was relishing whatever the elements may throw at him on Sunday.
We saw last year in this event how previous winning experience counted on Sunday when Brian Gay triumphed and I am happy to side with Herbert to show this again.
Going a further shot back to the duo tied on 12-under of Vincent Whaley and PATRICK RODGERS and I will also take a small chance that this could be the day that Rodgers finally breaks through.
Plenty of column inches, by myself included, have been written about when the talented Rodgers will finally get his first tour victory and it may just be that the experience of having to go back to the Korn Ferry finals to regain his card frees him up to now finally fulfil his potential.
After a strong start on Saturday Rodgers was derailed by a double bogey at the 11th and he then had to battle down the stretch to stay in the mix. A birdie at his final hole though coupled by Pendrith missing a far shorter opportunity will have given him renewed hope.
Leading the field in Greens In Regulation this week Rodgers is clearly striking the ball well and having spoken earlier this week about how enjoys playing in tough conditions where par is your friend it may just be that playing in to the second last group will allow him to get his head down and post a number. With the safety net of an each way return for second place the 14/1 is to me worth chancing.
Finally depending on how accurate the weather forecast it is impossible to rule out something really crazy happening and a big comeback win being posted by someone who confounds the elements and posts the round of their life, for those with long memories, perhaps something akin to Brandt Snedeker at Torrey Pines in 2016 who started that day in 27th place.
From that point of view I can’t resist throwing some small change at poor weather specialist GRAEME McDOWELL who starts eight back but only five back of second.
'G'mac' will be right in his element if we get the weather expected and at three figure odds he is worth a small risk to get in the clubhouse and watch those behind him struggle.
Published at 0945 GMT on 31/10/21
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