The Rundown: 2023 Bermuda Championship

The site of this week's action is Port Royal Golf Course, a coastal island track that has hosted all four prior editions of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.

The 6,828 par-71 was designed by Robert Trent Jones in 1971 and overhauled in a major renovation in the late 2000's. Given the location, it only makes sense that Port Royal is wall-to-wall bermuda, but there's an added twist with a mix of Zoysia on half of the fairways. The greens are positively massive by PGA TOUR standards at an average of 8,000 square feet. With a short number on the scorecard and aircraft carrier-sized greens, it should come as no suprise that scores are typically low down in the islands. The average winning score over the first four years of the Bermuda Championship is right around 18-under-par. But unlike other TOUR layouts where long hitters bomb their way to wedges and birdie opportunities, Port Royal promotes precision over power.

While the rough isn't overly penal, cross bunkers and bottlneck fairways encourage most players to lay back and play point-to-point target golf, allowing the likes of Brendan Todd and Brian Gay to have success here. The main defense of Port Royal is the unpredictable Carribean winds which have been known to bluster during the tail end of hurricane season. The current forecast calls for wind speeds in the low teens over the first two rounds before a breezier weekend. Look for players with experience in windy conditions and comfort on bermuda to perform this week.