The PGA TOUR FedExCup Fall continues after a week off, as the focus shifts from Japan to Bermuda for this week’s tournament. The Butterfield Bermuda Championship will return to Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton Parish, Bermuda. The tournament is the fourth of eight tournaments in the FedExCup Fall and gives players a chance to continue to earn critical points to improve their status for next season. The international event begins on Thursday, October 22, and will conclude on Sunday, October 25, weather permitting.
Let’s start the week with a look at the format, history and course for the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
Butterfield Bermuda Championship Format
This week’s format returns to the standard full-field event with a standard cut. Of the 120 players who start the week, the top 65 and ties will make the cut after Round 2. All four rounds will be played at Port Royal Golf Course.
This is the fourth of the eight FedExCup Fall tournaments. Winners of fall events earn the same benefits as regular-season events – including a two-year exemption on the PGA TOUR, 500 FedExCup points and spots in THE PLAYERS, The Sentry, and the major championships that invite PGA TOUR winners. This event used to be an alternate event, but it has been a full event since 2020.
At the end of the eight tournaments in the FedExCup Fall, the top-100 players in the FedExCup Fall standings earn full-time membership and exemption for the 2027 season, while players ranked No. 101-125 will have conditional status. Additionally, players who finish ranked from 51-60 in the standings earn entry into the first two Signature Events following The Sentry via the Aon Next 10.
Plenty is at stake throughout the fall on the PGA TOUR, including this week’s visit to Bermuda.
Tournament History
This tournament began in the fall of 2019 as part of the 2020 season. Brendon Todd won the inaugural event by four strokes before Brian Gay defeated Wyndham Clark in a playoff in 2020. After those two American winners, international winners took over with Lucas Herbert of Australia, Seamus Power of Ireland and Camilo Villegas of Colombia winning the next three events. Rafael Campos from Puerto Rico won in 2024, and last year, Adam Schenk earned his first PGA TOUR victory in his 243rd PGA TOUR start.
The event has been a tropical break in the fall schedule since its debut and has always called Port Royal Golf Course home. It gives players a chance to play in resort-style conditions with a chance to claim critical FedExCup Fall points. The tournament offers a $6 million purse this year with $1.08 million as the winner’s share.
This year, the field does not include any of the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking, with Corey Conners as the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 60. Austin Smotherman at No. 66 is the second-highest-ranked player in the field after winning the Bank of Utah Championship a few weeks ago. The other players in the field who are ranked in the top 100 in the OWGR include Ben James, Andrew Novak, Ben Kohles and Max Greyserman.
Be sure to check back for this week’s full field and opening odds on DraftKings Sportsbook.
A Closer Look at the Course
Famous golf architect Robert Trent Jones designed Port Royal Golf Course, with construction beginning in 1965. The course opened in 1970 with a major renovation before the 2009 PGA Grand Slam of Golf. It has hosted this event since its beginning in 2019.
At 6,828 yards, Port Royal is the shortest par-71 that is a regular stop on the PGA TOUR and the second-shortest overall, behind only TPC River Highlands.
The course is perched above Bermuda’s western coastline and features significant changes in elevation as it picks its way along the cliffs. It is highlighted by the picturesque par-3 hole No. 16, which is one of the most spectacular holes anywhere in the world. The exposed tee shot requires a difficult shot that carries the ocean to a green overhanging the ocean, perched high on its own peninsula.
To get familiar with the course layout, check out this hole-by-hole guide from the official site.
Jones’ architectural philosophy of forcing players to make strategic decisions on every shot is on display throughout the layout. Off the tee, strategic doglegs demand precise placement of drives, while elevated greens test players’ skill on approach. Deep bunkers and water hazards are spread throughout the course at key decision points.
While the course is visually stunning, players have been able to “get” the course and post low scores throughout its time on the PGA TOUR. The winning score had been -19 or better in three straight seasons before Schenk claimed last year’s title at -12. Schenk had to navigate significant winds that reached almost 40 miles per hour and demonstrated that the course can play much more difficult when the wind is up. This week looks like it will be windy as well, but maybe not quite to that extreme.
While this course doesn’t have ShotLink data, it’s still important to target players who perform well tee-to-green, with an emphasis on Strokes Gained: Approach. Players who have a good history at this venue and on resort-style courses are strong options to consider.
As you get ready for this week’s tournament, be sure to get your DFS fantasy golf lineups and betting cards filled out with help from DraftKings Network! We’ll have ongoing coverage throughout the week to help you enjoy this week’s tournament.
