The 78th edition of the Charles Schwab Challenge reinforces Colonial Country Club as the longest-serving host venue on the PGA TOUR. Designed by John Bredemus and Perry Maxwell, Colonial opened in 1936 and hosted the U.S. Open in 1941. The PGA TOUR arrived for the 1946 season and has returned annually since.

After the 2023 event, Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner worked their magic in restoring the proud club to the glory days of the early years. Now playing 80 yards longer and tipping out at 7,289 yards, every facet of the par-70 layout was modified.

Emiliano Grillo, winner last year in a playoff over Adam Schenk, leads the invitational field of 132 players to Fort Worth.

Strokes Gained: Tee to Green

Players listed are in the field this week; 2024 season stats.

TifTuf Bermudagrass sod was laid from tee to the approaches of the 007XL Bentgrass greens and all points in between. Colonial requires moving the golf ball both ways off the tee. Ben Hogan’s famous quote reminds us that a straight ball brings nothing but trouble on this layout. The famous breezes that always blow in this part of the world will push poorly-struck tee balls and irons into the rough and tree lines. Controlling the golf ball from less-than-ideal lies to find greens only 5,000 square feet on average will help keep the momentum going. Don’t forget there are four difficult par-3 holes, all ranging 194 yards or longer on the scorecard. Eight of the last 10 winners have ranked in the top 10 gaining shots tee to green. Former champions Grillo (20th) and Chris Kirk (30th; 2015) relied on red-hot putters instead.

While not the outright tournament favorite, Jordan Spieth (+2200), the third choice at the BetMGM Sportsbook, is the horse for the course this week. Making his 12th visit across town from his Dallas home, the 2016 champion also has finished second on three occasions and has racked up nine paydays of T14 or better. Last year provided the only blemish from his previous 11 starts (72-72; MC) and halted his run of 10 consecutive weekends. From 42 career rounds, the native Texan has posted just seven loops above 70 and carries a stroke average of 67.95.

Putting: Birdie or Better Conversion Percentage

Colonial is notoriously stingy for allowing birdies and eagles to pile up on the scorecards. The par-70 track has ranked in the top eight of the most difficult courses to convert birdie chances over the last three seasons. The two par-5 holes play 585 yards and 639 yards and do not score well annually. The quartet of par-3 holes also ranked inside the top 10 the last two seasons. The brand-new 007XL Bentgrass putting surfaces, running between 12 and 13 feet on the Stimpmeter, will add an extra challenge this week. Over the last decade, only one winner finished outside the top 11 in converting birdie chances.

Scottie Scheffler (+275) positioned as the clear betting favorite this week (or any week) is hardly surprising since he sits at the top of the pile in most of the important categories on TOUR. Defeated in a playoff by his friend Sam Burns in 2022, the Dallas resident returned last year, closed with 67, and missed the extra holes by a shot. Over the last two events in Fort Worth, only three players have beaten him.

Bogey Avoidance

Last year, the winning score was 8-under 272, the highest winning total this century. The 2022 edition required 9-under 271, the joint second-highest winning total. There will be bogeys, especially with the new changes for 2024. Holes have been shifted, lengthened and tilted, greens were resurfaced and trees removed. Navigation and shot-making trumps brute strength. Players trying to overpower the course will learn this lesson more quickly than others.

A new baseline will begin with this year’s edition, but history tells us the last three winners have squared eight or more bogeys for 72 holes. Putting squares on the card is survivable when birdies are on offer. That’s not the case this week, or most, at Colonial.

The only time Grillo (+12500) did not play the final 36 holes in eight visits to Fort Worth was the June 2020 edition. The winner in a playoff last year over Schenk, the Argentine survived a double-bogey six on No. 18 but found redemption on the second extra hole. Cashing solo third in 2018 and T8 in 2021, he has five top-25 paydays from seven weekends.

Oddsmaker’s extras

• Chris Kirk (+6000): The 2015 winner missed the cut for the first-time last year. With seven top-25 paydays from 12 weekends, including T15 in 2022, there’s a reason he has played every event since 2011.
• Justin Rose (+6000): Posting 20-under 260 in 2018, the Englishman missed tying Zach Johnson’s tournament scoring record by a shot. After T58 in defense in 2019, he’s painted the top 20 in three of the last four seasons, including T3 in 2020.
• Daniel Berger (+6600): The 2020 champion defeated Collin Morikawa (+1400) in a playoff to win on his third visit. Cashing T20 in defense and T23 in 2022, the man from Florida has played four consecutive weekends when entered.
• Harris English (+3300): Only Sergio Garcia (not entered) has won this event on debut. The former Georgia Bulldog signed for T5 on his first visit in 2012 and has cashed T30 or better in six weekends from eight attempts.
• Tony Finau (+2800): Joining Kirk and Spieth, the big hitter snapped a run of seven straight weekends at Colonial last year. The runner-up in 2019 ran T4 in 2022 and has never cashed outside T34.
• Brendon Todd (+10000): Making his ninth start here, the fairway finder has produced three T8 or better paydays in the last decade.
• Zach Johnson (+20000): Making his 19th start, the only two-time winner in the field set the tournament scoring record in 2010. From 2010 thru 2013, he never finished worse than solo fourth and won his second title in 2012.

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