Event Info
Starts: 24th March 2022
Course: Corales GC, Dominican Republic
Par: 72
Length: 7,670 yards
2020 Champion: Hudson Swafford
Results
Overall Profit/Loss: -12.5pts
Pre-Event Bets: -7.5pts
1pt 1pt Each Way Rafa Cabrera Bello 66/1 @ Unibet (1/5 1-6)
1pt Each Way Brandon Wu 70/1 @ Bet365 (1/4 1-5)
0.75pts Each Way Seth Reeves 90/1 @ Unibet (1/5 1-6)
0.5pts Each Way Michael Gligic 160/1 @ Unibet (1/5 1-6)
0.5pts Each Way David Lingmerth 175/1 @ Betfair (1/5 1-7)
In-Play Bets: -5pts
27 March 2022 (-2pts)
1pt Each Way Martin Trainer 40/1 @ Befair (1/4 1-3)
26 March 2022 (-1.5pts)
1.5pts Nate Lashley Win Only 16/1 @ Boylesports
25 March 2022 (-1.5pts)
0.75pts Each Way Martin Trainer 90/1 @ Bet365 (1/4 1-5)
Preview
Course Info
Designer: Fazio
Used Since: 2018
Fairways: Wide
Rough: Bermuda (2 inch)
Greens: Paspalum (11.5 stimp)
Water Hazards: On 6 holes
Par 5's: 4th, 7th, 12th and 14th
Premium on: Ability to deal with wind
Significant Info
Continue to exercise caution in relation to Covid-19 related withdrawals.
This event was played on the Korn Ferry Tour for several years before becoming a PGA Tour event in 2018.
Weather
Thursday
Rain showers in the afternoon and wind reaching 17mph.
Friday
Sunny with a maximum wind of 14mph.
Saturday
Mostly sunny with wind reaching 13mph.
Sunday
Mostly sunny with wind reaching 13mph.
Trends
Winning Score
Joel Dahmen won last year with a score of 12 under par but the three previous PGA Tour tournaments have been won with 18 under par. The two Korn Ferry Tour events were won with scores of -20 and -24.
Course Form
Joel Dahmen had posted top 20 finishes in 2019 and 2018. However, the three champions before him had played at Puntacana prior to their win but all three missed the cut the year immediately before their win. Course form preferred but definitely not essential.
Recent Form
None of the last four champions had recorded a top 30 finish in the last three starts prior to their win. Joel Dahmen, Graeme McDowell and Brice Garnett had all failed to record a top 10 that year prior to winning.
World Ranking
The world ranking of the past three champions has been 79-341-257-211. There's every chance we get a high priced winner.
Nationality
In the four years this event has been played on the PGA Tour, three of the winners have been American.
Stats Analysis
Driving Distance
The last four winners have ranked 25-20-78-76. Distance off the tee isn't essential.
Driving Accuracy
The last four winners have ranked 67-21-51-28. Accuracy slightly preferred over distance.
Greens In Regulation
The last four winners have ranked 14-40-16-30.
Scrambling
The last four winners have ranked 4-29-65-16.
Putts Per GIR
The last four winners have ranked 4-8-1-2. A hot putter is essential.
In Play
Tough Holes
The 11th, 5th and 2nd played hardest last year but the wind direction and strength will often determine which holes are hardest.
Birdie Holes
The four par 5s rank as four of the five easiest holes. The par 4 3rd hole ranks as amongst the easiest also.
Closing Stretch
16-18 are known as The Devil's Elbow and play slightly over par (+0.18 in 2020, +0.08 in 2019 and +0.37 in 2018)
Fast or Slow Start
2020 and 2018 champions, Hudson Swafford and Brice Garnett, both led after the opening round. Last year's champion, Joel Dahmen, was 2nd after round 1.
Leaders after round three have a strong record here. Both McDowell and Garnett converted from in front and Dominic Bozzelli won when joint leader in 2016 on the web.com Tour (now Korn Ferry Tour). Each of the last five course winners have been inside the top 10 at halfway.
2021 Course Notes
The weather was much the same all four days with the draw giving no significant advantage to either group of players.
In-play
Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship In-Play Blog
26 March 2022, 11:45pm (UK time)
| Player | Total |
|---|---|
| Martin | -14 |
| Ramey | -12 |
| Vegas | -11 |
| Trainer | -10 |
| Percy | -10 |
| Lashley | -10 |
| Lipsky | -10 |
| Detry | -10 |
Ben Martin has retained his two shot lead going into the final round of the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship. A best price of 2/1, he aims to become the fourth 3rd round leader in the last five years to successfully convert at Puntacana.
Unsurprisingly given his lack of recent contention experience, Martin mentioned in his post round press conference how he felt nervous at the start of his round but subsequently settled. Those nerves are sure to be tested tomorrow as he aims to win for the 2nd time on Tour.
Chad Ramey is the man putting most pressure on Martin and he is available at 4/1 with the bookmakers. Ramey won once on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2021 and has recent contention experience having been 3rd going into the final round in Puerto Rico a few weeks ago. Ramey slipped to 5th on that occasion but the experience will surely have benefited him.
Even though the winner has come from the top two in each of the past four years, we think the front two are worth taking on. Martin has led all week and whilst it should be noted he converted from the front for his win at the Shriners in 2014, it's been a long time since he's been in this situation. Ramey is just too short in the betting in our opinion.
Jhonattan Vegas is rated as a 5/1 chance and he would be preferred to either of the front two. However, he too seems mightily short when we consider the group at 10 under par. We've seen rounds of 65 are possible when the course isn't protected by the wind and with the forecast set to be moderate again, there is the potential for someone to shoot a low final round from off the pace.
The forecast for the final round will be sunny with wind reaching a max of 11mph.
Round 4 Bet
- 1pt Each Way Martin Trainer 40/1 @ Befair (1/4 1-3)
We put Martin up as the in-play bet after round 1 at 90/1 and we are going back in again. His price is wrong in our opinion given he's twice the price of Cameron Percy and David Lipsky and almost three times the price of Nate Lashley and Thomas Detry. Martin has proven himself adept at closing lesser tournaments such as this when he gets a chance and we make him far closer to the 30/1 mark.
26 March 2022, 10:55am (UK time)
| Player | Total |
|---|---|
| Martin | -12 |
| Smalley | -10 |
| Schenk | -9 |
| Ramey | -9 |
| McDowell | -8 |
| Lashley | -7 |
It was a case of de ja vu for Ben Martin as he replicated yesterday's fast finish to extend his lead at the top of the leaderboard at the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship. Four birdies in his last six holes heped him post a second consecutive 66.
Martin talked in his post round interview about the fact not having full status on either the PGA Tour or Korn Ferry Tour has motivated him to work harder. He would state that he has worked harder in the last six months than he has in the previous for or five years.
The hard work is certainly paying off so far and he has a great opportunity to win his second PGA Tour title. That last win came way back in 2014 at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open and it's reflective of the lack of contention experience he's had of late. His last top 5 finish came in 2017 and if he's to see this through he'll need to draw on old memories.
Martin shares joint favouritism at the bookmakers with Alex Smalley at 4/1. Smalley fired a joint best of the day 65 to move into contention but we're happy to pass him over. He's had a couple of opportunities on lower tours to win and failed to take his chances. Odds of 4/1 on him being able to win this early in his PGA Tour career seem short.
The four players immediately behind the leaders are preferred and it wouldn't be a surprise to see the winner emerge from that group. However, with four each way places available and scoreable conditions on moving day, it may pay to look at the players at 5 or 6 under par. History tells us we shouldn't look too far down though, the last four winners have all been inside the top 7 at halfway.
The forecast looks favourable for the third round with sunshine and moderate winds (11mph) forecast.
Round 3 Bet
- 1.5pts Nate Lashley Win Only 16/1 @ Boylesports
Nate is a past champion here and has been playing really nicely over the opening two rounds. Fifth for Greens in Regulation, he's only dropped one shot in his opening 36 holes. With Ben Martin expected to come back to the field today, Lashley can take advantage.
25 March 2022, 9:15am (UK time)
| Player | Total |
|---|---|
| Martin | -6 |
| Schenk | -5 |
| Taylor | -4 |
| Buckley | -4 |
| McDowell | -4 |
| Aphibarnrat | -4 |
A back nine 30 from Ben Martin catapulted him to the top of the leaderboard after the opening round of the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship.
Martin credited a return to an old putter for his success on the greens and it was certainly working for his opening 18 holes.
Martin shares joint favouritism at the bookmakers with Adam Schenk, both priced up as 14/1 chances. Two past champions, Nate Lashley and Graeme McDowell, are closely behind at 16/1. Of the four, we'd much prefer Lashley and McDowell.
Winners here in recent years have been near the front after the opening round but 2019 champion Graeme McDowell was 81st after round 1!
The forecast looks to be marginally favouring the later starters. There will be sunshine all day but the 14-16mph winds in the morning will ease off to 10-12mph in the afternoon.
Round 2 Bet
- 0.75pts Each Way Martin Trainer 90/1 @ Bet365 (1/4 1-5)
Martin is always under consideration whenever the PGA Tour stops at a coastal track outside of mainland USA. He's previously won the Puerto Rico Open and has also won in Mexico on the Korn Ferry Tour. He really struggled following his win in Puerto Rico but did finish 2nd last year in Houston and has made several cuts so far this year.
