Corales Puntacana Championship Tips, Odds & Tee Times

The Matchplay may grab the headlines this week but undoubtedly the best chance of landing a winner and grabbing some value is at the Corales event in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. I once spent 10 days In Punta Cana and there were some spectacular sights to behold, the opposite of which could be said of my bedroom toilet during my time there.

The Tom Fazio designed track here is relatively flat and exposed to the wind. The weather looks to be fair throughout and although some rain may figure across a few days of tournament play, the wind doesn't look to be the menace it often can be at this venue.

Nevertheless it will keep the players honest with approach play and will no doubt cause plenty of missed greens meaning scrambling comes to the fore. Paspalum greens don't pop up too often so it is prudent to look to results in Puerto Rico and Mayakoba as clues to who may perform well here. The Vidanta course in Mexico and Mont Choisy in Mauritius may be another two worth a cursory glance.

Wyndham Clark heads the field and that is no surprise given his quality lately. Plenty were alive to his chances last week and he didn't disappoint finishing 5th in Florida. 22nd in his only appearance here last year was a fair effort and there will be plenty who may reinvest their place money from last week in the hope he goes one better and lands his maiden win this week.

The fact that he hasn't won in five years on tour is the only reason I won't be wading in around the 11/1 mark. Surely better chances await to land this talented sort and although he rates clear favourite in my book I see little value in taking that price.

Jhonattan Vegas at 33/1 (Eight Places)

Jhonattan Vegas has a habit of playing well on the same tracks as was most evident back in 2016 and 2017 when he won the Canadian Open back to back at Glen Abbey. In four efforts here he has one missed cut and finishes of 4th, 18th and 26th.

A runner up in Puerto Rico as well as two other top tens between there and Mayakoba show the Venezuelan often leaves some of his most consistent golf for these types of courses. For the last number of months Vegas has been up there with the most premium ball strikers on tour. He was ranked just outside the top 30 in that department on tour before a poor week at Sawgrass saw him tumble a little down those rankings.

Prior to that it has been answers on a postcard as to why his best finish this year to date is 21st. Three top 25s at Torrey, Phoenix and PGA National are the worst finishes Vegas could have posted with his ball striking those weeks ranking 12th tee to green at the Farmers and 9th tee to green at the WMPO. Put simply, bar the Honda he has putted woefully.

It was the same story with a missed cut at the Valspar last week but a return to Punta Cana and a weaker affair could prove the difference and see Vegas back in the winners circle.

2pts each-way J.Vegas  33/1  (1/5 8) Bet365 Each-Way Extra Market

Richy Werenski at 125/1 (Eight Places)

Richy Werenski looks one to side with at triple figures after a couple of good weeks since February. 20th at Pebble Beach preceded two missed cuts at Phoenix and PGA National before posting a never nearer 21st in Puerto Rico shooting a final round 66 that was only beaten by Ahskay Bhatia and Cody Gribble.

27th last week at the Valspar was down largely to his form on the greens ranking 3rd in the field in that department. Remarkably he shot four level par rounds at Copperhead being one of only five players not to shoot an over par round on the week. The other four were 1st, 2nd, and T3. Werenski made 18 birdies which was two more than the eventual winner Taylor Moore.

Mistakes were plentiful, mainly off the tee, but he should benefit from the wider fairways here at Corales. He went off a 125/1 shot in Puerto Rico and following two top 30 finishes I think the bookmakers are making a mistake pricing the 2020 Barracuda winner at triple figures.

1pt each-way R.Werenski  125/1  (1/5 8) Bet365 Each-Way Extra Market, William Hill

Cody Gribble at 80/1 (Six Places)

Cody Gribble went off around 45/1 in Puerto Rico a few weeks back where he finished with a wet sail shooting the best final round of 65 finishing in a tie for 7th place. That form continued, ranking 8th off the tee, 11th on approach and 5th on the greens at Copperhead last week to match his 7th placed finish from a few weeks previous.

His iron play throughout last week was eye catching and I'm surprised this former winner on tour has not been chalked up fairly shorter after these displays the past few weeks. Gribble struggled around the greens last week finishing last in the field of those who made the cut and that really put pay to his chances of winning the event.

Growing up in Texas he should be competent in the wind here and having rubbed shoulders with some of the world's best growing up he could take another step forward in Punta Cana this week.

1pt each-way C.Gribble  80/1  (1/5 6) Unibet

Ryan Gerard at 50/1 (Eight Places)

Ryan Gerard has done little to convince me that he should be going off double the price that he went off at Puerto Rico and the 50/1 looks like a fair number. Gerard is riding the crest of a wave since turning pro last year winning on the Canadian circuit then landing a top 3 finish on the Korn Ferry Tour in February.

He took a swipe at Monday qualifying for the Honda Classic and landed his place in the field following a Tuesday playoff. He grabbed the opportunity with both hands finishing 4th. From there he went to Puerto Rico and finished 11th then an underperforming putter contributed to a 71st placed finish at a tricky Valspar, with the positives being another made cut and a decent week with the irons.

Gerard looks more than equipped to take the leap and a win a weaker contest such as this when he is hot and the price alone makes him an interesting runner.

1pt each-way R.Gerard  50/1  (1/5 8) Bet365 Each-Way Extra Market, WilliamHill

Kevin Roy at 100/1 (Eight Places)

I've tried and tried to leave the staking plan at six this week but I just have to include Kevin Roy. Roy has been one of the best iron players this season currently ranking 21st on tour on strokes gained approach.

He really hasn't got the rewards for that with a 29th placed finish at the Honda being his best week. We are blind to the stats in Puerto Rico but a 33rd placed finish there probably wasn't what he was hoping for off the back of the performance at the Honda.

A decent week on approach last week a Copperhead was once again outweighed by a poor display on the greens and the struggle to put all four departments of the game together in the one week continues. Nevertheless, throughout the season his irons have been spectacular and he has shown promise in all other departments at various stages.

These second string events hold a fair opportunity to capitalise on that iron play and should his putter heat up the same week as his irons continue to shine then he could figure.

1pt each-way K.Roy  100/1  (1/5 8) Bet365 Each-Way Extra Market, William Hill

Kevin Chappell at 125/1 (Seven Places)

Nicolai Hojgaard does have a victory on Paspalum at Al Hamra and it'd be no surprise should this 22 year old continue to achieve quicker than most. He is just about short enough in a pga tour event for me though. Spaniard Santiago Tarrio Ben has taken a little longer to realise his potential but performances lately suggest he may have reached a new level and bookmakers are lively enough to his improved standard.

Russell Knox plays well in the wind and has a great record in Mexico so a return to Paspalum surfaces could be the tonic the Scot needs to rekindle some form with his frustrating putter. Andrew Novak is at the other end of the scale and also made the shortlist with a good record on Paspalum. It is slightly concerning that he is doing most of his good work with the putter though.

Those looking to recapture some form of yesteryear always have a chance in these second tier events and I'm happy to take the plunge on Kevin Chappell. In his so called 'pomp' Chappell was a decent wind player performing well on numerous occasions at Pebble Beach as well as landing his only PGA Tour victory in Texas.

Recently there have been some decent signs finishing inside the top 30 at the Honda, then shooting 9 under over the weekend at Puerto Rico to finish in a tie for 15th. His last seven rounds of golf read 68-69-68-71-71-68-67. He was 15th on this track in 2022 also and he could be a sleeper who could fancy his chances strongly should he get a sniff. 

1pt each-way K.Chappell  125/1  (1/5 7) Coral

Scott Harrington at 140/1 (Eight Places)

Scott Harrington was out of sorts day one at the Valspar and his iron play that has been reasonably reliable lately deserted him. His putting was woeful on day one also eventually shooting 3 over par. He recovered on day two however shooting 1 under par to miss the cut narrowly on the number.

He ranked 22nd in the field on approach on day two so I'm happy enough to assume his irons are still in decent nick. We have no stats to back up his 29th placed finish in Puerto Rico but he ranked 18th in the field on approach at the Honda where he finished 26th.

Prior to that he did miss the cut at Pebble but his 18 holes there resulted in a 2 under par round where he ranked 16th on approach, and 13th tee to green. There certainly are signs that this 42 year old isn't too far off and I'm prepared to risk him in a weaker field at 150/1 having gone off just half that in Puerto Rico a few weeks ago.

0.75pt each-way S.Harrington  140/1  (1/5 8) Bet365 Each-Way Extra Market