5 players to watch at 2023 Butterfield Bermuda Championship
The Butterfield Bermuda Championship is the penultimate stop on the FedEx Cup schedule, so all eyes will be on Port Royal Golf Course next weekend. The field will be full of rising stars looking to cement their place on the PGA Tour for the upcoming season.
However, the Butterfield Bermuda Championship field will also include some top players. Two players ranked in the top 50 and nine ranked in the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) will be in attendance.
Let's take a look at the players who will be in the spotlight during the event.
Butterfield Bermuda Championship: 5 Players to Watch
Fans' attention will be split between the players vying for a spot between 51st and 150th in the FedEx Cup rankings, and those coming to the Butterfield Bermuda Championship to get an early start on their preparation for the 2024 season.
These are the five players whose performances should not be overlooked:
#1- Lucas Glover
Glover will enter the Butterfield Bermuda Championship as a top-ranked golfer. He is currently ranked 31st on the OWGR. But his importance to the tournament goes far beyond that.
Lucas Glover was one of the best players to finish the FedEx Cup regular season, winning two tournaments in two weeks and turning in other notable performances. In addition, Glover is a Major champion (2009 U.S. Open), which is always a great introduction.
#2- Adam Scott
Another Major champion present at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship is Adam Scott (The Masters in 2013). The Australian is one of those fighting to improve his position in the FedEx Cup standings, where he is currently 85th.
Scott is just over 300 points away from breaking into the top 60. Reaching that level would earn him a spot in the 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which he is currently unsure of securing. The Top 60 will also be at the Genesis Invitational, but Scott will be in that tournament regardless of his ranking, as he won it in 2020.
#3- Akshay Bhatia
Akshay Bhatia is one of the rising stars on the PGA Tour that is generating the most buzz. Only 21 years old, he already won his first tournament in the current season (2023 Barracuda Championship), giving him full membership until the end of the 2025 season.
However, he is also looking to improve his position in the FedEx Cup rankings (currently 91st) to be included in the first two Signature Events of 2024. He will need strong finishes at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship and the RSM Classic.
#4- Alex Smalley
Smalley has also seen some interesting growth during the 2022-23 season. He is currently ranked in the FedEx Cup Top 60 (58th) and the OWGR Top 100 (75th).
Alex Smalley will be looking to maintain or improve his status at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship after finishing T11 last season. If successful, he could return to the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis Invitational, where he has played the past two seasons.
#5 - Luke List
The focus of the season changed for Luke List at the Sanderson Farms Championship. Winning the tournament not only gave him a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour but also put him on the doorstep of the FedEx Cup Top 60 (currently 61st).
A good performance at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship would give him a pass into that select group, as he is only 17 points behind the 60th-ranked player (Stephan Jaeger) who will not be at Port Royal Golf Course. Of course, Luke would have to consolidate his result in the RSM Classic, the final event of the season.