The Charles Schwab Challenge has been played under a number of different names, but in its 75-year history, it’s always been played at the same golf course, the venerable 7,209-yard par 70 Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, known as Hogan’s Alley. It only trails the Masters at Augusta National for the longest tenure at a single course for a PGA Tour event.
The 2020 edition was the first event to be played following the pause for Covid-19, taking place in June when Daniel Berger got the season restarted in style by defeating Collin Morikawa in a playoff to collect his third PGA Tour victory. This year’s version returns to its traditional late May date, which puts it following the PGA Championship since the PGA Tour and the PGA of America worked together to revise the professional golf schedule in the United States in 2019.
For now, at least, the Tour plays in Dallas at the AT&T Byron Nelson, then moves to the PGA Championship, then heads back to Texas for the Charles Schwab Challenge. Although future schedules have yet to be announced, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Tour found a way to put those two Dallas Metroplex events back to consecutive weeks.
Spieth is the futures betting odds favorite at +1000.
Last Week
Phil Mickelson, at the age of 50, became the oldest major tournament champion by holding on to defeat Louis Oosthuizen and Brooks Koepka by two shots in the PGA Championship at the Ocean Course on Kiawah Island, South Carolina. Mickelson, who is in the field this week at odds of +4300, also set a record for the length of time, 16 years, between wins in the same major championship.
The six-time major winner with 45 victories on the PGA Tour shot a three-under-par 69 to tie for the lead following Friday’s second round, then battled Oosthuizen and Koepka over the weekend to pull off the stunning victory. Mickelson, by qualifying for the U.S. Open for the next five years, won’t be needing the exemption the USGA extended for next month’s championship, which will take place at the Torrey Pines South Golf Course.
Charles Schwab Challenge Preview
Colonial Country Club offers a challenge similar to that at Harbour Town Golf Links at the Heritage, with narrow fairways and smaller greens that reward superior shot-making ability. In addition to Berger, past winners include Kevin Na, Justin Rose, and Jordan Spieth, who also has two runner-up finishes, all known for either driving accuracy or skill around the greens.
Spieth is the futures betting odds favorite at +1000 after breaking his three-and-a-half-year victory drought earlier this year at the Valero Texas Open. He has definitely regained his prior form with seven finishes in the top ten in his last ten events, dating back to the Waste Management Open in February, where he shot a third-round 61.
Collin Morikawa, the winner of the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2021 WGC – Workday Championship at The Concession, is at +1200 and is coming off a tie for eighth place in the PGA Championship. World number two Justin Thomas, at +1300, will be looking to regroup after missing the cut by a shot last week.
