The PGA Tour is back in the Dominican Republic this week for the Corales Puntacana Championship, and guess who's walking in as the defending champion? None other than Garrick Higgo, fresh off his win in April 2025. This alternate event to the major championship happening over in England is set to kick off Thursday, and the field is absolutely loaded with guys looking to make a statement.
The Favorites Are Feeling the Heat
You want to talk about pressure? Taylor Pendrith and Stephan Jaeger are carrying it all. These two aren't just the highest-ranked players in the field; they're also the betting favorites on DraftKings. Everyone expects them to be right there on Sunday. Pendrith is set to tee off at 12:28 PM EDT from Tee 10, grouped with Joel Dahmen and Brandt Snedeker. Talk about a veteran pairing for him to navigate. Right next door, Jaeger gets things going at the same time from Tee 1, playing alongside Davis Riley and Charley Hoffman. These guys have targets on their backs, big time. Can they live up to the hype and prove why they're the ones to beat? It's going to be wild to watch.New Blood Chasing Glory
While the defending champ and the betting favorites grab headlines, there's another story bubbling up, and it's got everyone buzzing. Young stars Blades Brown and Ben James are both sitting in the top 10 favorites, and get this: they're both searching for their very first wins on Tour. That's right, two hungry young guns with a shot at breaking through on a big stage. You gotta love that kind of energy! They're even grouped together for Round 1, teeing off from Tee 10 at 1:23 PM EDT with Chandler Blanchet. What a dynamic to have them battling it out from the first hole, knowing what's on the line. It's not every day you see that kind of raw ambition at the top of the favorites list. So, who's going to step up? Will Higgo go back-to-back? Can Pendrith or Jaeger dominate like the odds suggest? Or will one of these young guns, Brown or James, finally break through for that elusive first Tour victory? We'll find out starting Thursday. Golf Channel has the first round coverage from the Dominican Republic kicking off at 12 p.m. ET. Don't miss a minute!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.