Daniel Berger Primed to Repeat as Champion at Charles Schwab Challenge

It seems like it was ages ago, but the PGA Tour returns to Colonial Country Club for the Charles Schwab Challenge, which was the first event in 2020 after the pause in action due to COVID-19.

Daniel Berger won the event by defeating Collin Morikawa in a playoff, and I’m calling my shot that he’s going to win it again this year.

Am I slightly biased because I cashed in on his win at Colonial last year? Yes.

Do I enjoy betting on him because he has one of the best last names on Tour? Also yes.

But besides those two things, I do legitimately think that he has a great shot to repeat as the winner of the Charles Schwab Challenge. WynnBET currently has his odds set at +1800 to repeat as champion, and I think that’s a steal.

Colonial Country Club is a short track, measuring at around 7,200, which will serve as a stark contrast to last week’s PGA Championship at Kiawah Island. While historically the game plan at Colonial was to opt for a long iron off the tee, last year we saw golfers gouge the golf course with long drives that could cut off most of the dog legs the course has to offer.

Strong play off the tee and a consistent approach game is what’s key at Colonial, and Berger offers exactly that. Heading into this week’s event, Berger ranks 24th in strokes gained: off the tee, and 21st in strokes gained: approach.

What may be even more important than the course fitting his strengths, is that it also doesn’t demand much from his weakness.

Berger’s number one weak point in his game is his chipping, and it’s reflected in where he ranks in strokes gained: around the green. He is 171st on Tour in that statistic, which is in the bottom 25% of all golfers.

Look no further than his performance at last week’s PGA Championship as evidence of this. Kiawah is known to be treacherous around the greens, and Berger lost -1.66 strokes with his scrambling on his way to a T75 finish.

Luckily, the areas around the greens at Colonial are much more forgiving.

Despite the horrible scrambling play this season, Berger still ranks 19th on the PGA Tour in total strokes gained. That’s a promising sign for him ahead of this week’s event, and his added confidence he’ll feel playing as the defending champ makes him a great bet at 18/1.