Corales Puntacana Championship

The Corales Puntacana Championship is held at Corales Golf Club, Puntacana, Dominican Republic. This track is a flat, exposed course by the coast which has often been affected by strong winds. That doesn't materialise this week with calm weather in the forecast although possibly some rain throughout the event.

Corales Puntacana Championship Tips

  • 1pt each-way M.Schmid  50/1  (1/5 7) Coral, Ladbrokes
  • 1pt each-way H.Springer  80/1  (1/5 7) Coral, Ladbrokes
  • 1pt each-way S.Stevens  40/1  (1/5 6) Skybet
  • 1pt each-way P.Kuest  60/1  (1/5 7) Coral, Ladbrokes
  • 1pt each-way C.Gotterup 80/1  (1/5 6) Skybet, Unibet, WilliamHill

 

Paspalum grass features here once again so a nod to Mayakoba and Puerto Rico form is advised. This track is rarely bullied by the longer hitters and as you can see from the table below scrambling and putting comes to the fore.

With the absence of strokes gained stats in this part of the world we only have the old statistics to pour over. You can find these below.

 

Corales Puntacana Championship Previous Winners / Winning Score:

  • 2023 - M.Wallace (-19)
  • 2022 - C.Ramey (-17)
  • 2021 - J.Dahmen (-12)
  • 2020 - H.Swafford (-18)
  • 2019 - G.McDowell (-18)

 

Matti Schmid at 50/1 (Seven Places)

It'd be no surprise to see a former Open Championship Silver Medal winner go well here by the coast and for that reason Matti Schmid is certainly of interest.

Scrambling usually is important around here but with the calm conditions expected here this week I expect less greens to be missed and in turn the German's solid iron play and putting could give him a fair chance.

3rd in Bermuda late last year and 10th at the Grand Reserve in Puerto Rico in March of 2024, Schmid goes well in these weaker events and he certainly seems more suited by coastal challenges.

17th at the Valspar a few weeks ago then 21st in Houston were solid finishes in much stronger fields than this and if he can produce similar efforts it will be enough to get into the mix here at the weekend.

1pt each-way M.Schmid  50/1  (1/5 7) Coral, Ladbrokes

Matti Schmid - 1pt e/w @ 50/1

Hayden Springer at 80/1 (Seven Places)

Experience on the LatinoAmerican tour may prove valuable in the Dominican Republic and I'm happy to get on board Hayden Springer who can kick start his PGA Tour career this week in Punta Cana.

The 27 year old from Tennessee has had a whirlwind 18 months or so moving from the Latin American tour onto the Korn Ferry and the Canadian.

Two wins followed in the Autumn of last year in Canada and he used that as a springboard to gain his card through the Qualifying School at Dye's Valley. It has been a rapid rise but as we see from so many in this modern era they are born ready and it may not be long until he takes his chance.

He finished 3rd in Puerto Rico, only his 6th PGA start this March and hasn't been disgraced in stronger fields only missing two cuts in his first seven starts since gaining his card.

Springer looks a talented sort who could land a victory early on, and these opposite field events in this part of the world may provide his best chance. There won't be a dry eye in the house should he manage to get over the line.

1pt each-way H.Springer  80/1  (1/5 7) Coral, Ladbrokes

Hayden Springer - 1pt e/w @ 80/1

Sam Stevens at 40/1 (Six Places)

Sam Stevens went close here last year finishing 3rd after leading through 54 holes and he could go close once again having found some decent form of late.

Last year around this time he went on a run where he was inside the top 10 through three rounds four times in the space of six weeks.

This time around his form isn't quite as threatening but a couple of top 20 finishes in his last five starts, including one in Puerto Rico, suggests he may not be far away.

Again, Stevens is another who played a fair amount of golf on the Latin American circuit before graduating to the PGA Tour and these coastal layouts should be where he excels.

50/1 has disappeared overnight but 40/1 is just about palatable to get involved.

1pt each-way S.Stevens  40/1  (1/5 6) Skybet

Sam Stevens - 1pt e/w @ 40/1

Peter Kuest at 60/1 (Seven Places)

Peter Kuest is one of the longest hitters in the field and although that's not usually an advantage around here it may prove different this week with some rain forecast as well as almost no wind whatsoever.

Last year on tour he certainly caught the eye with a top 4 finish at the Rocket Mortgage and three further top 20 finishes. This year on the Korn Ferry he hasn't hit the ground running having a miserable time to date but things turned around at the Valero Texas Open two weeks ago when finishing 10th.

His all round game was superb there and should he land here with similar he is going to have a big chance of upsetting the odds.

1pt each-way P.Kuest  60/1  (1/5 7) Coral, Ladbrokes

Peter Kuest - 1pt e/w @ 60/1

Chris Gotterup at 80/1 (Six Places)

Chris Gotterup failed to get going in Puerto Rico in March on a venue on which he had won as an amateur and finished 7th as a pro. It's no surprise he was among the favourites that week and went off a general 20/1 shot.

Since then 61st at the Valspar and 57th in Houston have been average results, but in much stronger fields to this one in Punta Cana. A missed cut at the Texas Open is underwhelming also with his iron play somewhat fallen off a cliff these last number of weeks.

He is yet to realise that potential that everyone thought he'd fulfil when he landed on tour a couple of years ago, but I can't help but feel the drift from 20/1 in Puerto Rico to 80/1 this week is a bit much.

He'll certainly need to turn round some poor approach play to figure this week but he can go well in these conditions and the price dictates we must get involved. 

1pt each-way C.Gotterup 80/1  (1/5 6) Skybet, Unibet, WilliamHill

Chris Gotterup - 1pt e/w @ 80/1