Andrew's Compliance Solutions Championship (KFT) Preview
We’ve had a week off in which to bask in the glory of a Sandy Scott win. It was lovely to bring one home for this page, but also just delightful to see Sandy living up to his potential. As I said in the preview, if he can stay injury free, he’s got a game better-suited to the tougher tests of the PGA than the easier courses of the KFT. I’m really looking forward to seeing him in 2027. But we’re back into it with the penultimate event, so let’s get moving fast.
The Tournament
The Compliance Solutions is back at The Patriot Golf Club in Oklahoma for the second year running. I covered this event last year and found a very comfortable winner, with 40/1 shot Adrian Dumont de Chassart opening with twin 61's (to get to -20) before coasting to a seven shot win at -33. ADdC aside, this was a good week for us, with Chandler Blanchet (22/1) and ST Lee (60/1) both finishing seventh and just missing the places. I either got very lucky or had some sense of the course.
What I looked at was a very straightforward course in terms of likely scoring, and I summarized my thoughts by saying that the course “isn't unusually long, short, classical, open, watery... anything. It is a fairly typical challenge. So I'm looking for recent form, of course. I'm quite keen on players who have something to play for. With typically straightforward greens I'm focusing on tee-to-green prowess. But I'm certainly focusing on guys who've gone well on comparative courses. For me, that means players who enjoy the unique challenges of a Trent Jones course.”
That was following quite a lot about Robert Trent Jones Jr as a course architect and his other courses. Sadly for the purposes of this week’s betting, the Price Cutter Championship, held at Highland Springs, is no longer on the KFT rotation, but PGA Riviera Maya still is. There are also plenty in this field who did play earlier Price Cutter Champs, or at other RTJJ courses elsewhere. With almost everyone in the field having something to play for in terms of points and status, and with no weather to speak of, I’m looking for something very similar to last year.
The Selections
Blades Brown is back in the field, having dropped in late to the playoffs in the style of Rory McIlroy. He’s sharing favouritism with Ross Steelman with the sole bookie offering odds as I put up this early preview, and both have solid chances. However, my strong preference at the top of the market is for Tommy Morrison who I think is made for this challenge. To begin with the obvious stuff, he’s emerged as one of the leading players on the tour despite only playing since June, and is ranked eighth on the points list currently. A good week here will secure his PGA card. With low scores essential, he leads the KFT in birdie percentage and scoring average – and whilst those metrics are skewed slightly by him missing the tougher courses early in the season, it is still impressive – and as a native Texan and a recent Longhorn grad, he’ll be comfortable with the conditions in Tulsa, in a neighbouring state. What really struck me, however, is that Morrison’s best amateur result was his win in the European Amateur Championship in 2024. That year, the host course was The Scandinavian, a Trent Jones course where he beat a stacked field. He ticks every box for me.
I think this week is likely to go broadly towards the favourites, with this venue typifying KFT golf and thus the established stars being among the likeliest leaders. I am therefore restricting myself to two golfers and increasing my stakes slightly. At an each-way price, the second pick is Barend Botha, who put in a great Sunday last time and briefly threatened Scott’s win – something that would have been painfully ironic since Botha and Scott are clearly my two favourite KFT players. It does show he’s in great form, and we know he can score heavily. Sitting 36th, he needs a strong finish to get a PGA card but it shouldn’t be ruled out, and he was seventh in this last year. Oh, and he’s another with form on RTJJ courses, winning the Ottawa Open at The Marshes Golf Club for his first professional victory, in just his second start on the PGA Tour of the Americas.
Tommy Morrison, 22/1, 3pts enhanced win only, Bet365
Barend Botha, 35/1, 1.5pts e/w, ¼ odds 5 places, Bet365
Posted early before other books have odds, you may find more appealing options.
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