Date: May 26–29, 2022
The annual professional golf tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, known as the Colonial National Invitation or the Charles Schwab Challenge, takes place at the Colonial Country Club. The event, sponsored by Charles Schwab since 2019, is part of the PGA Tour and has been held since 1946, making it the longest-running non-major tournament on the Tour.
Despite being one of the shorter courses on the PGA Tour, measuring around 7,200 yards with a par of 70, the Colonial Country Club presents a significant challenge. The course features narrow fairways, smaller-than-average greens, strategically placed bunkers, numerous doglegs, and the unpredictable winds that characterize the Texas region.
While there are only two reachable par 5 holes and all four par 3 holes play over 190 yards, players will need to capitalize on the par 4 holes to score well. Fortunately, Colonial offers several par 4 holes measuring 425 yards or less, with three more falling in the 425-450 yard range. This means that skilled players who keep their tee shots in the fairway will have numerous opportunities for birdies. However, finding the fairway can be challenging due to its narrow design, requiring even average hitters to use less powerful clubs several times during a round.
Unlike the penal areas around the greens at Southern Hills, missing the greens at Colonial is not as punishing. Players who have the ability to consistently recover and make up-and-down saves from these situations, as demonstrated by past champions like Kevin Na and Justin Rose, can gain an advantage. However, the majority of short approaches to the greens at Colonial mean that consistently missing greens will hinder a player’s chances of seriously competing in the tournament
The skillsets to key in on this week are:
- Strokes Gained: Approach is a vital skill to pay attention to, especially within the distances of 100-150 yards and 150-175 yards. The ability to accurately and effectively hit approach shots within these ranges will be crucial for success.
- Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, with an emphasis on driving accuracy, carries significant weight. Players who can consistently hit accurate drives off the tee will have an advantage in navigating the course.
- Putting performance on Bentgrass greens is another important factor to consider. Players who can excel on these types of greens and demonstrate solid putting skills will be able to capitalize on scoring opportunities.
- Opportunities Gained, which refers to the ability to create chances for birdies or better scores, should also be taken into account. Players who consistently put themselves in advantageous positions to score well will have an edge.
- Course History at Colonial holds substantial importance, as it is one of the courses on the Tour where previous experience and success can heavily influence performance. Familiarity with the nuances and challenges of the course can provide an added advantage.
- Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green is another skill set to consider. The ability to navigate and recover effectively from difficult situations around the greens will be beneficial in saving strokes and maintaining momentum during the tournament.
Our Picks:
- Jordan Spieth (12/1 FD): Spieth has proven himself as a dominant force at Colonial over the past decade, with more top-2 finishes (4) than finishes outside the top 10 (3). His remarkable results on challenging courses, combined with the support of a hometown crowd and the fatigue of his competitors, make him a deserving candidate for higher win potential than what is currently reflected.Vik Hovland (22/1 MGM): Despite a couple of underwhelming performances in majors this year, it’s important to remember that Hovland had a strong track record leading up to Augusta, including top finishes in his previous five events. He excels from 150-175 yards, which gives him an advantage in this field, and his ability to club down should result in hitting enough greens to compensate for his weaker around-the-green play. He finished T23 in his only previous appearance at this tournament.
Talor Gooch (41/1 FD): Gooch has shown significant improvement in his approach play since recovering from Covid, now performing among the world’s elite in that aspect, particularly from 100-150 yards. With above-average distance and accuracy off the tee, there’s potential for a strong putting performance to have a breakout week. He achieved a T14 finish at this event last year.
Tom Hoge (70/1 DK): Hoge’s iron play has been exceptional recently, highlighted by an impressive +8 SG: Approach at the PGA Championship. He also demonstrates above-average accuracy off the tee. Although he has missed the cut in his last two appearances at this tournament, his current form, including three top-5 finishes this season, surpasses his past performances.
Doug Ghim (180/1 DK): While Ghim may not be expected to win, the odds given are undervalued. His strategy revolves around finding fairways, delivering solid short iron shots, and playing on a course where those skills matter. His previous T14 finish at this tournament in 2021 adds to the appeal, making the odds twice as attractive as they should be.
Other names of interest: Chris Kirk (50/1), Gary Woodland (55/1), Mav McNealy (70/1), Patton Kizzire (150/1).
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