The PGA Tour heads to the Sedgefield Country Club for the 2024 edition of the Wyndham Championship. Damien Kayat previews.
2024 US PGA Tour
Wyndham Championship
Sedgefield Country Club
8 – 11 August
The US PGA Tour returns to action after its Olympic-enforced hiatus. Last week’s Olympic golf tournament may go down as one of the most exciting golfing events in recent memory.
Scottie Scheffler reminded the entire world that he – not Xander Schauffele – has been the best player in the world for the last two years, winning Olympic gold with a blistering final round 62 at Le Golf National.
It was an epic final round that teased about seven possible gold medallists. But the ungainly Scheffler took advantage of Jon Rahm’s collapse, adding Olympic Gold to his 2024 Masters and Players titles (not to mention four Signature Events).
Wyndham Championship
The tour moves to North Carolina this week for the Wyndham Championship, which also happens to be the last counting event before the FedEx Cup Playoff series begins. Jhonattan Vegas won the 3M Open in our last official PGA Tour start, crucially breaking into the top 70 of the FedEx Cup rankings.
Sam Snead won the inaugural staging of this event in 1938 (when it was known as the Greater Greensboro Open). He would go on to claim a further seven titles (the last of which came at the ripe old age of 52).
In fact, Snead’s eight victories in this event still have him in co-ownership of the PGA record for most victories in a single event (Tiger has won both the Arnold Palmer and WGC Bridgestone Invitational on eight occasions).
This is an event that has diminished in quality over the years. It used to have an April/May slot but has now been moved much further down the calendar.
Many – if not most – of the top players use this as a recharge week ahead of next week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship. However, the event arguably has greater stakes than ever before, with players desperately seeking to finish inside the top 70 and qualify for next week’s FedEx Cup Playoff series.
Lucas Glover made a remarkable move here last season, rising from 112th to 49th in the FedEx Cup standings.
Sedgefield Country Club
Designed by the legendary Donald Ross and founded in 1926, Sedgefield Country Club was one of two courses that alternated hosting duties of the former Greater Greensboro Open (the other being Starmount Forest Country Club).
The two courses shared duties for some time until Forest Oaks Country Club took charge between 1977 and 2007. Kris Spence oversaw a renovation of this layout ahead of the 2008 return to Sedgefield. It was an attempt to toughen up the course that never really worked.
With the exception of 2021’s 15-under-par winning total, the previous seven winners of this event have shot 20-under or better. This isn’t a bomber’s paradise and it tends to reward accuracy and surgical iron-play.
Recent winners include the likes of Kisner, Herman and Simpson (none of whom are outdriving DeChambeau anytime soon). Sedgefield is the ideal ‘last chance saloon’ course for those wishing to qualify for the Playoffs: it gives everyone a fighting chance. Like any true birdie-fest: putting could prove crucial.
The Contenders
The ultra-consistent Sungjae Im has been a Sedgefield staple in recent seasons and he makes a logical favourite this week.
Billy Horschel has enjoyed a solid season and is fresh off being in contention at the recent Open Championship.
Cameron Young is still in search of his maiden US PGA Tour title and Shane Lowry has also begun to trend in the right direction of late.
2023 Open champion Brian Harman should suit this course to a tee while the likes of Spieth and Bhatia should attract plenty of crowd support this week.
Also, keep an eye out for the likes of Davis Riley and Andrew Putnam, bubble boys who will be desperate to play themselves into next week’s FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Past Winners
2023: Lucas Glover (-20)
2022: Tom Kim (-20)
2021: Kevin Kisner (-15) *playoff
2020: Jim Herman (-21)
2019: J.T Poston (-22)
To Win Outright:
Sungjae Im 16/1 | Billy Horschel 22/1 | Si Woo Kim 22/1 | Cameron Young 25/1 | Shane Lowry 25/1
Value Bets
Cameron Davies – To Win 45/1 | To Place 19/2
Aussie Cam Davies just makes plenty of sense this week. He is in great form, winning a few weeks back at the Rocket Mortgage Classic (on a Donald Ross design).
He has also been improving with every trip to Sedgefield, producing a career-best T7 in last year’s edition.
He hasn’t been statistically incredible this season but still finds himself sitting pretty in the FedEx Cup rankings at 41. He just has a way of grinding out results and I think he could do well this week.
Eric Cole – To Win 66/1 | To Place 14/1
Eric Cole was the second oldest Rookie of the Year in tour history last season and he started this campaign in similarly strong fashion. But his form fell off dramatically towards the middle of the season and he is only just beginning to pick up heat again.
He finished T6 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic and followed that up with a T7 at the Jon Deere. He ranks 5th on the entire PGA Tour for one-putt % and he also ranks fourth in the field on Donald Ross courses. He finished in a tie for 14th here last season and he could be a wonderful dark horse pick this week.
The Man to Beat – Sungjae Im – To Win 16/1 | To Place 7/2
I’m never a fan of backing the favourite: it seems equal parts cowardly and unimaginative. But Im- at 16/1- is just begging to be played this week. Im arrives in amazingly consistent form, finishing T12 or better in eight of his last ten starts.
He also has exceptional course form, finishing in the top 25 in all five of his appearances here. He has finished inside the top 10 here on three occasions (notably finishing runner-up in 2022). His approach play is outstanding and he should contend this week.
