Andrew's The Blue Championship (KFT) Preview

After a week off, the Korn Ferry Tour returns to action and is in Colorado for the second year, with a new sponsor. The Blue Championship was The Ascendant last year (when we did have a preview) and, before that, the TPC Colorado Challenge– let’s get into it.

The Tournament

With the Scottish Open and the ISCO Championship running this week, it is worth getting bets on early – currently the KFT field has stood up well and just three of the top 20 in points are missing (Alastair Docherty, number four, Ben Kohles (six) and James Nicholas (16)) but there’s no guarantee that we see that happy state continue. Last year this event certainly had a weaker field than most KFT competitions. Fortunately Bet365 provided an early market so we don’t have to hang around. 

The first thing to say about this course is that it is really very long – 8,022 yards, to be precise, which is long even for a modern (set up in 2019) par-72. However, altitude will compensate for that slightly, as we sit at 1,500m above sea level. The list of golfers who’ve gone well here includes Brian Campell (second in 2024) and Cooper Dossey (second last year) and plenty of others who prove that it isn’t a case of “only bombers need apply” but pop from the tee is definitely a benefit. Oh, and a quick note – for some reason neither the KFT website nor data golf are linking to the full history of the event as I write this, so do look around to find the TPC Colorado Championship results from 2019 – 2024, which are helpful but hidden.

Apart from power from the tee, experience at altitude is definitely a plus as it is a different sort of game, and one that some players find tricky. Like last year it is also going to be very hot, but it doesn’t currently look like we need to worry about wind or storms. I certainly want players who can go well in extremes of heat. We’ve tended to see winners who are strong on and around the green and it has proven to be an event that is won by players who are having successful seasons – after a few unexpected victories recently, I’d be surprised if we saw another one here.

The Selections

Plenty towards the top of the market will be suited by this sort of test and it was difficult to reduce the field down. However, we don’t have many consistent winners at the very top of the market and I’m happy to leave the likes of Blades Brown, Cooper Dossey and Hunter Eichorn, all of whom are win-only prices, for someone else. My first pick, instead, is Christiaan Maas. A native of Pretoria in South Africa he grew up playing golf at altitude and in punishing heat, and these conditions will suit him ideally. He’s not played enough on tour to have ranking statistics – he came here as the number two PGA Tour U graduate and has only made two starts thus far – but he gives the ball a heck of a whack and his college coach notes him as a brilliant scrambler and creative player. He was around the top of the leaderboard at the Memorial Health last time out, eventually finishing 19th and can make some early noise with a win here. As an amateur, he won a pro event on the Big Easy Tour (the Sunshine Tour development route) and was fourth in the South African Open last year and tenth in the Dubai Desert Classic this year. I’d rather be early than late on a player this good at this level, especially with such an ideal test ahead of him.

I think Maas is the likeliest winner but I think the best value towards the top of the betting market is Ross Steelman, who has parlayed fourth in driving distance and 37^th in birdie or better percentage into a 23^rd place on the money list, just outside the cards ahead of a week that we know suits him. We know that because, when in inferior form, he finished fourth last year, despite a closing 75 that saw him give up a three shot lead. Coming here off the back of tenth in the Memorial Health and a recent runner-up finish in the UNC Health, I don’t think he’ll fall away so easily and this towering Georgia Tech grad would be a worthy maiden winner here.

Finally, I’m picking another South African native at a massive price in Barend Botha, long time favourite and currently priced based on his recent weak form (he’s missed six of eight cuts, although only one of the last three.) However, he started the year with a fourth and a 22^nd, and has a great record at altitude, finishing second in both the Utah Championship and the KFT Championship last year. He was also second to Casey Jarvis in a great battle on the Sunshine Tour this winter and this absolute bomber can make a mockery of his price if a return to ideal conditions sees a return to his best form.

• Christiaan Maas, 30/1

• Ross Steelman, 33/1

• Barend Botha, 225/1

All 1pt e/w, 1/4 odds 5 places, Bet365. Better odds may come available as markets open.