The best betting props for the 2021 Bermuda Championship

Shorter hitters on the PGA Tour don’t get a lot of love. Like Howie from the Backstreet Boys, they’re a key part of the group, but simply don’t get the same level of affection as the others.

But occasionally they have their time to shine – and the Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Course is one of those times. The course is set up for the shorter hitters, rewards accuracy over length, and is made even harder by the strong winds that blow in from the Atlantic Ocean.

This is no place for the weak of heart, and a laser eye for the greens, a cool head, and plenty of experience is key if you’re to conquer the course. Fans watching from the comfort of their couch will also be able to bask in the iconic 16th hole, a par three where the ocean is the only thing between the tee and the pin.

Matchbet: Ryan Armour to beat Hank Lebioda (-110)

Ryan Armour and Hank Lebioda have both featured in the two previous editions of the Bermuda Championship, giving them plenty of experience at this wind-swept course. Lebioda finished third on debut and then 16th last season, while Armour has finished eighth on both occasions.

I’m personally siding with Armour to win this match bet and possibly even challenge for the top 10. Armour was fourth on Tour last season for driving accuracy (Lebioda was 95th), and he was in the top 50 for putting average (with Lebioda down 92nd).

Armour has shot all eight rounds in the Bermuda Championship under par and posted top 10 numbers for driving accuracy and putting average at this event in both previous tournaments. His form isn’t particularly eye-catching, but he posted three top 10s in June and July and can spark back to life at a course he clearly thrives on.

Top European Player: Russell Knox (1-3) (+275)

Knox is another man with solid course form, having finished 11th and 16th on his two previous starts here. The course clearly suits the Scot, and it’s no surprise really as he finished 38th on Tour last year for driving accuracy and eighth for greens in regulation. There are few better on short courses that reward accuracy over bombing it off the tee.

His putting can be a concern, but Knox is a class act with winning form on the PGA Tour and that experience will count for plenty around Port Royal. He’s shown flashes of his strong form already this season, sitting inside the top seven in the Fortinet Championship at half-way, and then shooting back-to-back 66s at the Sanderson Farms Championship although finishing down in 29th.

His accuracy off the tee and dialed-in irons are his strongest suit, so if he can warm up the putter and get four consistent rounds together, he could very easily be one of the top three Europeans this week.

Top 20 Finish: Denny McCarthy (+175)

Denny McCarthy is a really pure striker of a golf ball when he's in the groove, and his putting stats jump out this week in a tournament that relies heavily on a good performance on the greens. McCarthy ranked 22nd for shots gained putting and 19th for putting average on Tour last year, and a similar effort with the flatstick can propel him to a strong finish this year.

On his debut here two years ago, he finished 15th and then was fourth 12 months ago courtesy of a final round 63. His course form gets another boost when you see he has two top 20s in last five starts at the Wyndham Championship and the Sanderson Farms Championship – two courses played on Bermuda surfaces like this week.

McCarthy was second after 54 holes in the Sanderson Farms Championship at the start of October, before dropping to 17th and another effort like that here will click this prop.

Top 20 Finish: Kurt Kitayama (+375)

28-year-old Kurt Kitayama is a slightly different proposition, having only received his PGA Tour card this year courtesy of the Korn Ferry Tour, and making his Port Royal debut this week. However, Kitayama is an excellent putter and strong driver of the ball, so this course should suit his style of play.

Last time out in the Sanderson Farms Championship he was seventh at the half-way stage having carded an opening two rounds of 66-68. He eventually fell to 45th after a disappointing weekend, but he continues to learn and improve with experience.

Most notably are his two European Tour wins which came in Mauritius and Oman on two courses by the coast that are impacted by wind. If he deals with conditions as well this week, he has a great chance of being the surprise package.