After the seven-stop West Coast Swing, the PGA Tour heads east to Bradenton, Florida for the inaugural WGC-Workday Championship – and 22nd edition of this particular WGC.
Headliners include Patrick Reed – the 2020 WGC-Mexico champion, and world No. 1 Dustin Johnson.
The elite-field event at The Concessions Golf Club will feature 48 of the top-50 ranked players in the world, with only Paul Casey (18) and Tiger Woods (50) sitting out.
As we do each week, here’s a round up of information and historical data to get you prepped for the season’s first World Golf Championships event.
THE SKINNY
Tournament: WGC-Workday Championship
Dates: Feb. 25-28, 2021
Where: Bradenton, FL
Course: The Concession Golf Club
Distance: 7474 yards, par 72
Architect: Jack Nicklaus, Tony Jacklin
Format: 72 holes, stroke play, no cut
Purse: $10,500,000
Winner’s Share: $1,820,000
Defending Champion: Patrick Reed
TV, RADIO & STREAM
Broadcast TV
Rd 1: Th 1-6:00 pm (GOLF)
Rd 2: Fr 1-6:00 pm (GOLF)
Rd 3: Sa 12-2:30 pm (GOLF)
Rd 3: Sa 2:30-6 pm (NBC)
Rd 4: Su 12-2:00 pm (GOLF)
Rd 4: Su 2:30-6 pm (NBC)
PGA TOUR LIVE
Rd 1: Th 11 am-6 pm (Featured Groups)
Rd 2: Fr 11 am-6 pm (Featured Groups)
Rd 3: Sa 8 am-2:30 pm (Featured Groups)
Rd 3: Sa 2:30 pm-6 pm (Featured Holes)
Rd 4: Su 8 am-2:30 pm (Featured Groups)
Rd 4: Su 2:30 pm-6 pm (Featured Holes)
Available via app – OTT and Mobile
PGA TOUR RADIO
Rd 1: Th 12-6 pm
Rd 2: Fr 12-6 pm
Rd 3: Sa 1-6 pm
Rd 4: Su 1-6 pm
Listen on SiriusXM or PGATOUR.com/liveaudio
HISTORY
The roots of the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship trace back to 1999. It was titled the WGC-American Express Championship in its inaugural year, and was contested at famed Valderrama in Spain.
The 1999 event ended on the first sudden-death hole when a 23-year-old Tiger Woods bested native son Miguel Angel Jimenez, 35-years old at the time. It was Tiger’s first victory of a record seven at this event.
The tournament bounced around to a few more countries until 2007 when it finally settled in at famed Trump National Doral in Miami, Florida.
When Cadillac’s sponsorship of the event ended in 2016, the tournament moved to its new location at Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City, a move the PGA Tour said it was more about sponsorship money, and less about politics.
Fast forward to 2020: Due to covid and a worldwide panic, the PGA Tour halted all foreign travel, and relocated its international events stateside. This year’s WGC-Mexico event will be contested at The Concession Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus designed masterpiece.
HISTORY: TOURNAMENT NAMES
2021-XX: WGC-Workday Championship
2017-20: WGC-Mexico Championship
2011-16: WGC-Cadillac Championship
2007-10: WGC-CA Championship
1999-2006: WGC-American Express Championship
HISTORY: TOURNAMENT VENUES
2021-XX: The Concessions Golf Club (Bradenton, FL)
2017-19: Club de Golf Chapultepec (Mexico City)
2007-16: Trump National (Miami, FL)
2006: The Grove (Hertfordshire, ENG)
2005: Harding Park GC (San Fran, CA)
2004: Mount Juliet GC (Thomastown, IRE)
2003: Capital City Club (Atlanta, GA)
2002: Mount Juliet GC (Thomastown, IRE)
2001: Bellerive CC (St Louis, MO)*
2000: Valderama GC (San Roque, SPAIN)
1999: Valderama GC (San Roque, SPAIN)
* Canceled following Sept 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
HISTORY: RECENT WINNERS
2020: Patrick Reed (-18)
2019: Dustin Johnson (-21)
2018: Phil Mickelson (-16)
2017: Dustin Johnson (-14)
2016: Adam Scott (-12)
2015: Dustin Johnson (-9)
2014: Patrick Reed (-4)
2013: Tiger Woods (-19)
2012: Justin Rose (-16)
HISTORY: TOURNAMENT RECORDS
72-Hole Scoring:
261 (-21) Tiger Woods, 2006
Wins:
7 – Tiger Woods (1999, 2002-03, 2005-07, 2013)
3 – Dustin Johnson (2015, 2017, 2019)
2 – Ernie Els (2004, 2010)
DEFENDING CHAMPION
At Club De Golf Chapultepec, Patrick Reed fired a final-round 67 to claim his then 8th PGA Tour title at the WGC-Mexico Championship.
Reed finished his fourth day in Mexico City with just one bogey offset by five birdies, highlighted by a trio of gains on Nos. 15, 16 and 17 to clinch the victory.
Bryson DeChambeau carded a 6-under 65, which included four-straight birdies as he made the turn, but a dropped shot on the par-3 17th left him one stroke short. He settled for solo second-place finish on 17 under.
Justin Thomas held the 54-hole lead but fell out of contention after a double bogey on the par-4 10th.
Jon Rahm (67) and Erik van Rooyen (70) finished T3 while Rory McIlroy (68) rounded out the top five.
FINAL TOP 5
1 Patrick Reed -18 (-4)
2 Bryson DeChambeau -17 (-6)
3 Jon Rahm -15 (-4)
3 Erik Van Rooyen -15 (-1)
5 Rory McIlroy -14 (-3)
THE COURSE
The Concession Golf Club is a par 72, measuring 7,474 yards, and flows through a variety of natural Floridian landscapes. The course was designed by Jack Nicklaus with assistance from Tony Jacklin.
Nicklaus famously conceded a two-foot putt to Jacklin during the 1969 Ryder Cup matches which guaranteed the first tie in Ryder Cup history, hence the name “The Concession.”
The course opened in 2006, and was named “Best New Private Course” by Golf Digest. It is the only design collaboration between Nicklaus and Jacklin.
The course played host to the 2015 NCAA Championships where a slimmer Bryson DeChambeau took home the trophy.
FIELD & ODDS
The field this week includes 48 of the top-50 in the Official World Golf Rankings, highlighted by every golfer ranked in the top-15.
In all, the event features an attractive array of star power, headlined by top-ranked superstars Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy, and defending champion Patrick Reed, among others.
Johnson, who’s been lapping the competition as of late, is the heavy favorite this week at 6-1. How hot is DJ? In his last 14 starts, the 36-year old star has finished first (4) or second (3) half the time with five top 12s (T3, T6, T8, T11, T12) in the other seven starts.
In short, DJ is far and away the best golfer in the world at the moment.
World No. 2 Jon Rahm is next at 10-1. The fiery Spaniard enters off a top-5 finish at Riviera – his fifth top 10 (in eight starts) on the 2021 season, which is why he’s even money to finish with a top 10.
Xander Schauffele (No. 4) and Rory McIlroy (No. 8) were next at 16-1, followed by Justin Thomas (No. 3) and Patrick Cantlay (No. 7) at 18-1.
Carey Hoffman contributed to this preview.
Credits: PGA Tour, Getty Images
