The Corales Puntacana Championship Predictions: Noren Can Pounce

• Nicolai Hojgaard among the favorites after contending in the Masters

• Star of Netflix series Full Swing Joel Dahmen is a former tournament winner

• The Corales Course at the Puntacana Resort plays host

Corales Puntacana Championship Odds

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Corales Puntacana Championship Picks and Predictions

• Alex Noren to win at +1400 with BetMGM

• Garrick Higgo each-way at +5000 with bet365

• Joel Dahmen top-30 at +130 with DraftKings Sportsbook

For more betting opportunities check our curated list of best Golf betting sites!

The Corales Puntacana Championship Intro

With the advent of the new PGA Tour schedule the opposite events – the ones that take place “opposite” the elite-field tournaments – have assumed even more significance for at least half of the circuit’s members.

That’s good news for the Corales Puntacana Championship because it offers a great opportunity for the players – and punters can also enjoy the test, hopefully landing a big-priced winner.

In 2021 Joel Dahmen won at +5000 when he had great course form, a year later Chad Ramey was also at +5000 despite a recent top five, and 12 months ago Matt Wallace was +3300 when also in good form.

Who will take the honors this week? Let’s find out.

Corales Course Winners

The Corales Course Notes

• The Corales Course is a par 72 that plays to 7,670 yards

• It was designed by Tom Fazio in 2010

• There is Supreme Paspalum grass on the greens

• It is a blustery resort course with six holes alongside the ocean

• Five of the last six winners ranked top-five for Putt Average

• The exception to the above, last year’s winner Wallace, ranked 12th

Favorites to Win the Corales Puntacana Championship

Alex Noren (+1400) at BetMGM

This week represents a huge opportunity for the Swede to translate his winning form on the DP World Tour (he’s won 10 times in Europe) to the higher-grade PGA Tour. He’s a seven-time top-three finisher on the latter circuit, most recently when second in Bermuda late last year. The hard-working 41-year-old also arrives fresh off four consecutive top-20 finishes.

Nicolai Hojgaard (+1400) at BetMGM

The Danish 23-year-old is making his third start in the event and will have good memories of last year when he finished second after sharing the 54-hole lead. He won the DP World Tour Championship in November and was second in the Farmers Insurance Open - both events played on long courses like this week’s. He was also a fine 16th last week in the Masters.

Billy Horschel (+2000) at BetMGM

A tournament debut for the seven-time PGA Tour winner and his debut suggests that he’s in the mood to make the most of his promising form in the last two months. He’s logged three top-15 finishes – at PGA National, Innisbrook, and Memorial Park – in his last five starts. He hasn’t won since 2022 and has recovered from a well-publicized breakdown of confidence last summer.

Noren Can Pounce

This week is not only a good chance for Noren up against a weaker field – he also has an excellent profile for the test.

He’ll have good memories of flying east to a tropical island after his second at Bermuda last November.

He’s already a two-time winner on courses measuring over 7,600 yards.

And he has good form on two courses that have proved good pointers for this week.

Torrey Pines is another long track near the ocean and Noren was second there in 2018.

While at PGA National, another Fazio design, he has three top 10s including this March.

Add in his excellent form, plus a putter that works on paspalum, and he’s the pick of the favorites with BetMGM top price +1400.

Higgo a Great Fit

There’s lots to like about the chances of the South African Garrick Higgo this week.

He made his breakthrough on the PGA Tour in the 2021 Palmetto Championship at Congaree and that was significant because it is another Fazio design and also long at over 7,600 yards.

He’s also finished top 30 at Fazio’s PGA National in the last two years.

Higgo has even won on paspalum grass, in the DP World Tour’s Gran Canaria Lopesan Open, also in 2021.

The left-hander is making a first start on the Corales Couse but it should be a great layout for a player with potential who has made his last six cuts.

Back him each way at +5000 with bet365.

Green Light for Dahmen

Joel Dahmen has made a name for himself in golf by taking his shirt off when playing the stadium-style 16th hole at the WM Phoenix Open and starring in the Netflix series Full Swing.

But he’s a fine golfer, good enough to win this tournament in 2021 and finish 11th in the Players Championship last month.

That recent sign of good form makes him worthy of interest this week because his course record extends beyond the win three years ago: He has four top-20 finishes from five completed tournament starts.

He also loves playing on paspalum greens, finishing in the top-30 10 times in 16 completed events – and one of the exceptions was a major championship.

Those numbers are persuasive.

Take the DraftKings Sportsbook off of +130 for another top 30.

How to Watch The Corales Puntacana Championship

• Tournament: The Corales Puntacana Championship

• Location: The Corales Course, Puntacana Resort & Club, Dominican Republic

• Date: Thursday, April 18 - Sunday, April 21

• How to watch: Thursday-Friday 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. ET (Golf Channel), Saturday-Sunday 2 p.m.-5 p.m. (NBC). And all four days on Sky Sports.