The Course Report
Port Royal Golf Course
About Port Royal Golf Course
It is safe to say that all of us would love to golf this track. Bermudagrass greens, zoysia rough and plenty of views would be plenty for any casual golfer. Yet, we embark on a PGA Tour event and the Tour Pro’s more than likely plan their vacations around golf courses like this.
The event was first played during the 2019-2020 season as we witnessed Brendon Todd rip up the course with a monstrous 24-under par. The following year Brian Gay won in a playoff with a score of 15-under par. So, what do we take from the limited sample sizes?
The course plays like coastal tournaments. Think of Harbour Town, Sea Island and basically anything you’re going to find at Hilton Head. These greens are really grainy, they slow, and there is an art to attacking the hole with the short stick. For the most part, you’re going to fire some cannons towards the hole hoping to score.
The largest defense that the course has is the wind. They can blow up to 30 miles per hour at times, and the tough test is when they are swirling on players causing direction to change drastically. Weather is going to be a key this week so make sure you’re paying attention to the forecast.
The wind causes the biggest issues on the par 3’s. Players are going to be a way back on these par 3’s which include massive elevation changes as well. Missing greens into deep rough is only going to create more challenges.
The course benefits strategic play, and golfers that are dialed in with their short irons. It should go without saying but playing from the fairway is going to lead to plenty of scoring opportunities.
Sadly, there is no ShotLink data at this event. Which means those of you seeking a showdown edge are going to have to actually watch the tournament. Yet, the focus for me is going to be looking at tournament comps like Harbour Town, great wind players, and players that have experience playing in similar types of turf.
Architect: Robert Trent Jones
Greens: Bermuda
Green Size: 6,500 sq. feet (Average)
Stimpmeter: 11 to 11.5 – Avgerage
Length: 6,828 – Par 71
Water Hazards: 5 come into play
Bunkers: 88+
Weather Forecast
Past Winners
Gay won for the 5th time on the PGA Tour after several clutch shots and a final round score of 64. His birdie on the 72nd hole forced a playoff with Wyndham Clark, in which he won on the very first hole.
The wind was far worse than it was the year prior, forcing players to be pinpoint with their accuracy and their putting.
No one was close to catching Todd as he won his second PGA Tour title. Todd was so dominant that he nearly shot a sub-60 round on Sunday.
His Sunday was simply unmatched as he ran away with the tournament.
Patrick Cantlay was close to becoming the frist player to win back-to-back tournaments in Vegas in the last 20 years, but DeChambeau had other plans.
An eagle putt from just inside 60 feet on the 16th hole carried him toa 5-under 66 and a one-shot victory over Cantlay. This was Dechambeau’s 5th win on the PGA Tour.
Cantlay won the Shriners in a playoff for his first victory on Tour.
Most of Cantlay’s career had been derailed by a back injury at this point, so the fact that he finally competed on Tour was a victory in itself.
It took a 3-man playoff, but Johnson beat Louis Ossthuizen and Marc Leishman by shooting a 15, 1 under in a four hole playoff.
Johnson was a surprise win as just the week before his prep came in Illinois at the John Deere Classic. This was Johnson’s second major win, and his first Claret Jug.
Entering with a six-stroke lead over the field, McIIroy went from dominant to just hanging on. Still, no golfer ever got withing two strokes the entire day, and he held his composure despite struggles off the tee and on the greens.
In winning, McIIroy became the seventh wire-to-wire winner in Open Championship history.
After winning the Scottish Open the week prior, Mickelson birdied four of the last six holes and became the Open Champion.
To this point, Phil had come close to winning, but had often doubted his abilites on links style courses.
Els began Sunday 6 shots back, but still clinched the vicotry after Adam Scott imploded.
Els’ 68 was a comeback of epic proportions when you consider the fact that Scott was still winning by 4 strokes on the 15th tee.