DeepDiveGolf - David Bieleski 
If your WGC Matchplay bracket is already looking on shaky ground after Day 1, what better excuse to indulge than a deep dive into the alternative event this week! We just had our 2nd big winner in March, with both Moore and Kitayama collecting at huge prices. Let’s bag another one with our Corales Puntacana Championship picks.
Course Analysis & Weather
If you do have the opportunity to find TV coverage for this event, I highly recommend a watch. Undeniably, the Corales Golf Course in Punta Cana is a stunning host. As these holes snake their way hugging close to the cliffs and Atlantic Ocean, you would be forgiven for thinking driving accuracy is imperative here. The metrics tell a different story for our Corales Puntacana Championship picks.
Although a big miss on the wrong side of the hole will result in large penalties, this can usually be avoided. The rough is a benign 2 inches and rather sparse, providing little penalty when found. Obviously, at a 7,670 yard par-72 having a modicum of driving distance is an asset. However, this is further emphasised by the largely disproportionate number of approach shots coming in at over 200 yards. Driving distance and approach over 200+ yards play a key role in our Corales Puntacana Championship picks.
Greens are paspalum grass. Certainly, this sturdy oceanside grass is particular but generally quite slow. Putting will be imperative in what often turns into a birdie fest, although offset slight by the ease of these surfaces. Putting is weighted heavier than usual for our Corales Puntacana Championship picks model.
The wind is the main defense for this course. Moderate winds are forecast all week and should play some role. There, however, appears no weather edge with winds consistent all day Thursday and Friday.
You can find the latest weather forecast here.
Comp Courses for our Corales Puntacana Championship Picks
Although course history appears less correlated here than on other courses, I do want to read that in some context. Obviously, being a alternative event in the majority of years, the field for this event is rather transient. Consequently, it includes up and coming stars advancing from the Korn Ferry Tour to the other end of the spectrum, with older golfers in the twilights of their careers. Generally, those playing this event are either on their way up or down the PGA Tour rankings. This bears some consideration when making your Corales Puntacana Championship picks.
Other tropical and island courses have strong links here. Generally, this involves a combination of the resort style nature, exposed windy courses, and the unique paspalum greens. Significantly, Puerto Rico Open has numerous form lines and is likely the strongest guide. Vidanata Vallarta, host of the Mexico Open, provides another long driver friendly resort style course with many similarities. Further, I considered the Bermuda Championship in my analysis.
I do believe some of the Korn Ferry Tour courses will get missed by most pundits this week when making their Corales Puntacana Championship picks. It is worthy going back the last couple of years and consider golfers who have played well at these types of tracks at the same time of year. This includes the Bahamas Great Exuma Classic and Abaco Classic, the Panama Championship, and the Astara Golf Championship.
Corales Puntacana Championship Picks for Golf Betting
Suggested Staking
Thomas Detry – Your Corales Puntacana Championship Picks Favourite
2.5pts WIN +2200 Draftkings
2.5pts Top 10 +330 Fanduel/Draftkings
or 2.5pts E/W +2200 (Bet365 with 8 places 1/5 odds)
Ben Martin
2.5pts WIN +3000 Fanduel
2.5pts Top 10 +320 Fanduel
or 2.5pts E/W +3000 Bet365 (with 8 places 1/5 odds)
Chesson Hadley – Your Corales Puntacana Championship Picks Best Value
2pts WIN +6600 MGM
2pts Top 10 +550 Fanduel/Draftkings
or 2pts E/W +6600 Bet365 (with 8 places 1/5 odds)
Vincent Norrman
1pt WIN +9500 Fanduel
1pt Top 10 +650 Draftkings
or 1pt E/W +7000 Bet365 (with 8 places 1/5 odds)
And
2pts Top 20 +280 Draftkings
Augusto Nunez
1pt WIN +6600 MGM
1pt Top 10 +600 Fanduel
or 1pt E/W +9000 Unibet (with 6 places 1/5 odds)
And
2pts Top 20 +250 Bet365/+240 Draftkings
Trevor Werbylo – Your Corales Puntacana Championship Picks Favourite Longshot
1pt WIN +15000 MGM
1pt Top 10 +1100 Fanduel
or 1pt E/W +14000 Bet365 (with 8 places 1/5 odds)
And
2pts Top 20 +490 Fanduel/+500 Bet365
Brandon Matthews
0.5pts WIN +25000 MGM
0.5pts Top 10 +1400 Fanduel
or 0.5pts E/W +25000 Unibet (with 6 places 1/5 odds)
And
3pts Top 40 +165 Draftkings/+180 Bet365
Thank you reading our 2023 Corales Puntacana Championship picks. For an article with insights on my golf analysis process, check this link here!
