After a wild week at Valhalla the PGA Tour moves on to th eColonial Country Club in Fort Worth for teh 2024 edition of teh Charles SChwab Challenge. Damien Kayat previews.
2024 US PGA Tour
Charles Schwab Challenge
Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas
23 – 26 May
The entire golfing world should be waxing lyrical about Xander Schauffele’s breakthrough Major triumph at Valhalla. How he managed to hold off the demented charge of LIV renegade Bryson DeChambeau I’ll never know!
Unfortunately, the only image that anyone will remember from last week will be Scottie Scheffler’s mugshot. What an insane year this has been for World No.1 Scheffler. He captured his second Green Jacket, had his first child and was then arrested en route to Valhalla. Last week honestly approached Tiger Woods-level melodrama.
I personally felt a bit disappointed by the sequence of events. I always took the languid Scheffler for some gentle giant. But his behaviour befitted that of an entitled prima donna who felt he was above the law.
In any event, Scheffler tees it up this week as the PGA Tour moves to the Lone Star State for the Charles Schwab Challenge. He was raised in this neck of the woods and he will be looking for some home comforts after an uncomfortable week.
Charles Schwab Challenge
This event has been formally known as the Fort Worth Invitational, the Dean & Deluca and the Crowne Plaza (among other titles). It dates all the way back to 1946 and is essentially a living testimonial to Fort Worth legend Ben Hogan.
Hogan won the first two editions of this event and would go on to win a further three renewals. The tournament draws some sartorial inspiration from Augusta National, with the winner picking up a rather nifty tartan jacket.
Colonial Country Club
One thing has never changed in this event’s history: Colonial Country Club. Hogan’s Alley-as Colonial is affectionately known- has hosted every edition of this famous event. In fact, this is the longest-running non-Major event to be held at the same venue.
But things might have a slightly different feeling this year.
Designed by John Bredemus and opened in 1936, Colonial has undergone a significant facelift over the last year, with Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner overseeing a $20 million renovation.
They have attempted to return the course to its original design, using old photographs of the 1941 US Open that was hosted here. I don’t think it will have a huge impact on how the course plays- but time will tell.
Colonial is a classical test of golf that doesn’t favour the bombers. It really rewards consistent, precision-based golf. The most crucial indexes for success this week will likely be GIR and putting. These smaller-than-average Bentgrass greens require accurate approach play (13 of the last 16 winners have ranked inside the top ten for GIR).
Putting has also proven to be pivotal over the years. This is one of those intricate, idiosyncratic courses that rewards familiarity.
The Contenders
Can Scottie Scheffler put all his recent turmoil behind him and compete this week? Scheffler has come close to victory here in the past, losing to Sam Burns in a play-off back in 2022.
Last year’s event was even more dramatic, with Emiliano Grillo conspiring to throw away a two-shot lead on the 18th, hitting his tee-shot into a stream that took the ball for a five-minute cruise.
Grillo would eventually win in a play-off to cap an extremely poignant victory. Collin Morikawa has looked back to his best in recent weeks and he was right in the mix at Valhalla, stalling with an even-par final round on Sunday.
Elsewhere, former champions such as Jordan Spieth and Justin Rose will look to capitalize on their course know-how in what is sure to be a thrilling week.
Sidenote: Riviera Country Club is also known as ‘Hogan’s Alley’. It says something about the enduring legacy of Hogan that he has two courses paying such rich homage to him.
Past Winners
2023: Emiliano Grillo (-9) *playoff
2022: Sam Burns (-9) *playoff
2021: Jason Kokrak (-14)
2020: Daniel Berger (-15) *playoff
2019: Kevin Na (-13)
2018: Justin Rose (-20)
To Win Outright:
Scottie Scheffler 11/4 | Collin Morikawa 12/1 | Jordan Spieth 22/1 | Max Homa 22/1 | Tony Finau 30/1
Value Bets
Christiaan Bezuidenhout- To Win 45/1 | To Place 19/2
I really like the chances of three-time DP Tour winner Christiaan Bezuidenhout. The South African is a terrific iron player who prides himself on a strong short game. He ranks 11th on tour for Strokes Gained: Putting and 20th for Strokes Gained: Total. He finished second at this year’s American Express and he boasts form figures of 13-9-25-28-3-16-MC. He missed the cut at Valhalla by a single shot and I think he can bounce back this week. He has finished 15th and 21st in the last two editions of this event and he looks primed for a solid outing.
Thomas Detry- To Win 60/1 | To Place 13/1
Thomas Detry has emerged as a real surprise package on this year’s tour. The Belgian has racked up four top-10 finishes this season (including three top fives). He came close in Houston, finishing in a tie for second. But his highlight of the season has to be last week’s T4 finish in Valhalla. Detry finished T21 on debut here last season and he arrives in much better form this time around. Furthermore, he currently sits 10th on tour in Strokes Gained: Putting. 13/1 to place looks like an absolute steal for Detry.
The Man to Beat- Tony Finau- To Win 30/1 | To Place 13/2
Tony Finau played really well at Valhalla, significantly dropping down the leaderboard due to a 1-under-par final round. Still, an 18th-place finish is nothing to sniff at. He recently finished 12th at Harbour Town Golf Links (a course that correlates quite well to Colonial). He missed the cut here last season but his course credentials are otherwise impeccable. He enjoyed four consecutive top 25 finishes from 2019-2022, finishing second in 2019 and fourth in 2022. I just have the feeling he could drift nicely under the radar this week.
