The Stakes in Southampton
The 2026 Butterfield Bermuda Championship tees off October 22-25 at Port Royal Golf Course, a par 71 layout measuring 6,828 yards. This tournament marks the fourth of eight events in the FedExCup Fall season, with a $6 million purse and 500 FedExCup points going to the winner. The top 60 in the FedExCup Fall standings will secure spots in prestigious events like the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Genesis Invitational, making this island stop critical for players chasing security for 2027.
Adam Schenk won in 2025 and is back to defend, though no golfer has successfully defended a title in Bermuda. Schenk won at 12-under by grinding out 16 pars when 40 MPH winds scrambled the field in the final round.
Port Royal's Coastal Challenge
The tournament is played at Port Royal Golf Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones, and its hilly terrain, demanding par 3s, and exposure to unpredictable winds provide a unique challenge. At 6,828 yards, Port Royal Golf Course is the shortest venue in the PGA Tour's annual rotation, but length means nothing when Atlantic gusts turn every approach into a judgment call.
The four par 3s measure 148, 213, 235 and 235 yards, and the long pair at the 13th and 16th ranked among the three hardest holes on the course last year. The signature hole is the 16th, a 230-yard par 3 that plays from a clifftop ledge overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Three of the four par 3s exceed 213 yards, and the forecast calls for persistent rain and winds as high as 20 mph from Thursday to Sunday.
Winning scores have ranged from 12 under par to 24 under par, which has been reached twice, illustrating how heavily conditions influence scoring. The course plays as 100% bermudagrass, and approach play is where the round gets decided at Port Royal, because wind and small margins turn nearly every iron shot into a judgment call.
Players to Watch
Corey Conners enters as the highest-ranked player in the Official World Golf Ranking at No. 60. Conners is one of the best ball strikers in the game, and Conners will be looking to build on his one top-10 finish this year. He concluded the 2026 season with a T-7th at the Wyndham Championship, then began the Fall Series with a T-17th at the Biltmore Championship. The Canadian represented the International Team at the Presidents Cup and brings the kind of iron precision that Port Royal demands.
Ben James arrives with momentum after three consecutive top-five finishes. The former Virginia star has finished 3rd at the Wyndham, 2nd in Asheville and T5 in Utah, and he's gaining close to six strokes per tournament on the field. James ranks near the top of the field in strokes gained approach and tee-to-green over the past eight weeks, and those skills align perfectly with what Port Royal rewards.
Taylor Pendrith has the best course history in this field. Taylor Pendrith has gained +2.35 strokes per round on the field over 8 rounds here, including a T-5th in 2022 and T-8th in 2023. The Canadian hasn't played Port Royal since 2023, but his comfort level on a course where local knowledge matters makes him a priority pick.
Denny McCarthy brings both ball striking and course history. Denny McCarthy has gained +1.60 strokes per round over 8 rounds at Port Royal, with four cuts made in four starts and a best finish of T4. McCarthy's putting typically elevates his floor, and four consecutive made cuts here suggests he knows how to navigate the wind and read these bermudagrass greens.
Pool Picks Strategy
Course history carries extra weight this week. Port Royal's exposed layout and unique wind patterns reward players who've seen it before, particularly those with proven strokes gained numbers on this track. Prioritize anyone with multiple top-10 finishes here over a player with hot recent form but no Bermuda experience. Wind scrambles talent levels, and a veteran who's already solved the 16th hole in 25 mph gusts has a real edge over someone seeing it for the first time.
Stuck between players? Our player comparison tool uses real PGA Tour strokes-gained data and weights each category by what this course rewards, then names the pick with a probability score.
Join a Pool or Start Your Own
The Butterfield Bermuda Championship offers a full 120-player field and a wide-open leaderboard where course history and precision matter more than star power. Set up your office pool in minutes at our event page, then head to the pool creation dashboard to customize scoring, set your buy-in, and send invites before Thursday's first tee times.