You can read Liam Williams’ Power Rankings for the Austin Championship at bet365 News.
Course Guide: The Fazio Canyons Course at Omni Barton Creek Resort is a new venue on the PGA Tour. Located in Austin, Texas, this Fazio-designed course opened in 1999 and has hosted the 2005 Barton Creek Classic on the PGA Canadian Tour, where Erik Compton finished runner-up. The 2006 Barton Creek Classic also used the Canyons Course, but only for a single round. Noteworthy that the next door Fazio Foothills course has seen competitive action such as the PGA Cup, Senior PGA Professional Championship and PGA Professional Championship. This is a different course though, which in 2022 received a $5 million renovation with over 150 yards of length added.
Fazio Canyons Course, Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa, Austin, Texas: Designer: Tom Fazio 1999, with Fazio 2022 renovation; Course Type: Medium, Mid-Score; Par: 72; Length: 7,451 yards; Number of Holes with Water In-Play: 6; Number of Sand Bunkers: 42; Fairways: Tifway 419 Bermudagrass; Rough: Bermudagrass; Greens: MiniVerde UltraDwarf Bermudagrass.
Fairway Widths (yards): Below are the fairway widths at the Fazio Canyons and how they compare to recent courses that we’ve seen on Tour:
- Fazio Canyons: Average 25 -55 yards at 300 yards.
- El Cardonal: Average 60 yards up to 70 yards wide.
- Black Desert: Average 30 yards up to 70-100 yards at 300 yards.
- The Cliffs at Walnut Cove: 35-45 yards at 300 yards.
- East Lake: 30-32 yards at 300 yards.
- Bellerive: 27-29 yards at 300 yards.
- TPC Southwind: 25 yards at 300 yards.
- Sedgefield Country Club: 28 yards at 300 yards.
- Detroit Golf Club: 26 yards at 300 yards.
- TPC Twin Cities: 36 yards at 300 yards.
- Corales GC: 75 yards at 300 yards.
- Hurstbourne CC: 25-30 yards at 300 yards
- TPC Deere Run: 36 yards at 300 yards.
- TPC River Highlands: 29 yards at 300 yards.
- Shinnecock Hills: 45 yards at 300 yards.
- TPC Toronto: 35-37 yards at 300 yards.
- Muirfield Village: 24 yards at 300 yards.
- Colonial: 25-30 yards at 300 yards.
- TPC Craig Ranch: 25-28 yards.
- Aronimink: 30 yards.
- Quail Hollow: 28 yards.
- Blue Monster, Doral: 25-40 yards.
- Harbour Town: 22-25 yards.
- Augusta National: Average 50 yards.
- Oaks Course: 25-30 yards.
- Memorial Park: 30–40 yards.
- Copperhead: Average 20 yards.
- TPC Sawgrass: Average 28 yards.
- Bay Hill: Average 30 yards.
- PGA National: Average 28 yards.
- Riviera: Average 27 yards.
- Pebble Beach: Average 30-33 yards. Spyglass Hill: 25-30 yards.
- TPC Scottsdale: Average 38 yards.
- Torrey Pines South: Average 24-27 yards. Torrey Pines North: Average 24-27 yards.
- Pete Dye Stadium: Average 33 yards.
Course Designer Links: For research purposes other Tom Fazio PGA Tour designs and renovations include:
- Atunyote GC – Turning Stone Championship 2007-10.
- Caves Valley GC – BMW Championship2021 + 2025.
- Congaree GC – Palmetto Championship 2021 + CJ Cup 2022.
- Conway Farms GC – BMW Championship 2013, 2015, 2017.
- Corales GC – Corales Championship
- Eagle Point – Wells Fargo Championship 2017.
- Raptor Course Greyhawk GC – Fry’s.com Open 2008/09.
- Shadow Creek GC – CJ Cup 2020.
- The Summit Club – CJ Cup 2021.
Fazio has also had renovation input into:
- Riviera Country Club – Genesis Invitational.
- Merion – 2013 U.S. Open.
- Oakmont – 2016 U.S. Open.
- Quail Hollow – 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024 Wells Fargo Championship + 2026 Truist Championship, 2017 + 2025 PGA Championship.
- Seaside Course at Sea Island – RSM Classic
Course Overview: Designed by renowned architect Tom Fazio and opened in 1999, the Fazio Canyons Course at Omni Barton Creek Resort in Austin, Texas, provides the setting for the inaugural Austin Championship. Extensively renovated in 2022 at a cost of approximately $5 million, the course plays as a 7,451-yard, Par 72, featuring 4 par-5s and 4 par-3s. Carved through the rolling limestone canyons of the Texas Hill Country, the layout features dramatic elevation changes, natural ravines, winding creeks, and mature trees. The fairways are Tifway 419 Bermudagrass, while the putting surfaces feature MiniVerde UltraDwarf Bermudagrass. 42 sand bunkers is sparse, with many greens relatively unguarded by sand, placing greater emphasis on approach positioning and the natural hazards surrounding the playing corridors.
Fairway widths vary, but at an average of 38 yards are generous enough. They vary though between 25 and 55 yards, and what is noticeable is the lack of straight-away driving required here. Plenty of holes see fairways at 45 degree angles, with some of them having natural pinch points, which can be ravines or encroaching trees. This course has a slight habit of restricting driving distance, which could well be a disadvantage to longer hitters.
The 4 par-3s measure between 175 and 230 yards, with 3 of them over 215 yards, so they will be challenging. No par-4 measures further than 500 yards, with the front 9 offering what appears an easy start to the round featuring 400 and 405 yard par-4s and a potentially driveable 344 yard par-4, with a 175 yard par-3 thrown in. All-in-all there are 6 par-4s at sub-450 yards.
The par-5s are intriguing with doglegs, ravines intersecting fairways, and the 18th featuring a green complex that is defended principally by a substantial creek and steep-sided gulley, rather than conventional greenside bunkering. It reminds me slightly of the 13th at Augusta National where the green is defended along its right-hand side length by Rae’s Creek.
The course is bedecked with Bermudagrass from tee to green with MiniVerde UltraDwarf Bermudagrass greens. Other PGA Tour courses with similar green agronomy are Memorial Park Golf Course (overseeded with Poa Trivialis – Texas Children’s Houston Open) plus TPC Louisiana (overseeded with Poa Trivialis – Zurich Classic of New Orleans).
Tournament Stats: We’ve published some key player statistics for this week’s event that are well worth a look. Naturally they’ll help to shape a view on players who could go well this week: Current Form | First Round Leader.
My published predictor is available here. Top 10 of my published predictor are: 1) Chris Kirk; 2) Ben Kohles; 3) Seamus Power; 4) Mackenzie Hughes; 5) Brian Harman; 6) Max Homa; 7) Eric Cole; 8) Taylor Moore; 9) Tom Hoge; 10) Davis Thompson.
Our brand new predictor model is running alongside, where you can build your own rankings in live time, using the variables listed on the left hand side.
Weather Forecast: The latest weather forecast for Austin, Texas, is here.
First point to highlight is that Austin has seen lots of rain in the build-up. 83mm (3.27 inch) of rain in October has now been backed up with 67mm (2.66 inch) in November, the majority of which was on Saturday and Sunday. With 90% chance of more precipitation on Monday, I think we’ll see a soft course on Thursday and with a lack of real heat ongoing throughout the tournament. There’s also a strong chance of rain – without electrical activity – on Sunday.
With 18-25 degree Celsius (64-68 Fahrenheit) temperatures throughout the tournament, we’re taking a step down from what we seen throughout the Fall Series. Wind won’t be a factor for the opening 54 holes, but Sunday sees a forecast of south-easterly wind gusting to 30mph, which will undoubtedly slow scoring considerably.
Strokes Gained Rankings: These top 25 in the field rankings are based on an 8-tournament window that stretches back to the Biltmore Championship / PGA BMW Championship which includes both PGA Tour and DP World Tour events, where recorded. Player rankings are based on performance relative to the rest of the field:
- Top 25 SG Off The Tee: 1) David Ford / Austin Smotherman; 3) Blades Brown; 4) Neal Shipley; 5) Ricky Castillo / Joel Dahmen; 7) Jesper Svensson; 8) Rico Hoey; 9) Brian Harman / Kris Ventura / Sudarshan Yellamaraju; 12) Matt McCarty; 13) Zach Bauchou; 14) Doug Ghim; 15) Ben Kohles / Taylor Pendrith; 17) Seamus Power / Alejandro Tosti; 19) Pierceson Coody / Hao-tong Li; 21) Gordon Sargent; 22) Takumi Kanaya; 23) Jackson Suber; 24) Johnny Keefer; 25) C.T. Pan.
- Top 25 SG Approach: 1) Andrew Novak; 2) Chris Kirk; 3) Austin Smotherman; 4) Eric Cole; 5) Stephan Jaeger / Matt McCarty; 7) Zach Bauchou; 8) Austin Eckroat / Ben Kohles / Jackson Suber; 11) Ricky Castillo; 12) Doug Ghim; 13) Brian Harman / John Parry; 15) Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen / Patrick Rodgers; 17) Paul Peterson; 18) Lucas Glover / Karl Vilips; 20) Christiaan Bezuidenhout / Blades Brown / Trace Crowe / Jordan Smith; 24) Cam Davis / Johnny Keefer.
- Top 25 SG Around The Green: 1) Alvaro Ortiz; 2) Stephan Jaeger; 3) Brian Harman / Chris Kirk; 5) Mackenzie Hughes / Miles Russell / Jordan Smith; 8) Nick Dunlap / Doug Ghim; 10) Christiaan Bezuidenhout / Takumi Kanaya / Sudarshan Yellamaraju; 13) Ricky Castillo; 14) Sami Valimaki; 15) Michael Thompson; 16) Ben Kohles / Nick Taylor; 18) Chad Ramey; 19) Vince Whaley; 20) Zac Blair / Seamus Power; 22) Zach Bauchou / John Parry; 24) David Skinns; 25) Jackson Koivun.
- Top 25 SG Tee to Green: 1) Doug Ghim; 2) Austin Smotherman; 3) Chris Kirk; 4) Zach Bauchou; 5) Ricky Castillo; 6) Blades Brown; 7) Andrew Novak; 8) Ben Kohles; 9) Jordan Smith; 10) Brian Harman; 11) Seamus Power; 12) Sudarshan Yellamaraju; 13) Rico Hoey / Jackson Suber; 15) Kris Ventura; 16) John Parry; 17) Neal Shipley; 18) Stephan Jaeger; 19) Lucas Glover; 20) Isaiah Salinda / Karl Vilips; 22) Alvaro Ortiz; 23) Trace Crowe / Johnny Keefer; 25) Peter Malnati / Jordan Smith.
- Top 25 SG Putting: 1) Brian Harman; 2) Adrien Dumont de Chassart; 3) Seamus Power; 4) C.T. Pan; 5) Austin Smotherman; 6) Ricky Castillo; 7) Davis Riley; 8) Billy Horschel; 9) Max Greyserman; 10) Brendon Todd / Vince Whaley; 12) Doug Ghim / Max Homa; 14) David Ford; 15) Luke Clanton / Taylor Moore; 17) Beau Hossler / Andrew Novak; 19) Brice Garnett / Chad Ramey; 21) Blades Brown / Sami Valimaki; 23) Trace Crowe / A.J. Ewart / Alejandro Tosti.
- Top 25 SG Total: 1) Brian Harman; 2) Austin Smotherman; 3) Seamus Power; 4) Doug Ghim; 5) Blades Brown / Chris Kirk; 7) Jordan Smith; 8) Ricky Castillo; 9) Ben Kohles; 10) Alvaro Ortiz; 11) Andrew Novak; 12) Trace Crowe; 13) Stephan Jaeger; 14) Zach Bauchou / Sudarshan Yellamaraju; 16) Neal Shipley; 17) David Ford / Rico Hoey; 19) Christiaan Bezuidenhout / Luke Clanton; 21) Billy Horschel; 22) Zac Blair / Austin Eckroat / Johnny Keefer / Jackson Koivun / Karl Vilips.
For the record, here’s the breakdown of Bermudagrass PGA Tour victors in the field since 2008:
- 4 – Billy Horschel, Chris Kirk.
- 3 – Matt Kuchar, Nick Taylor.
- 2 – Daniel Berger, Lucas Glover, Mackenzie Hughes, Peter Malnati.
- 1 – Rafael Campos, Nick Dunlap, Austin Eckroat, Brian Harman, Joe Highsmith, Max Homa, Stephan Jaeger, Patton Kizzire, Luke List, Taylor Moore, Andrew Novak, C.T. Pan, Seamus Power, Davis Riley, Adam Schenk, Austin Smotherman, Kevin Streelman, Adam Svensson, Michael Thompson, Brendon Todd, Sami Valimaki, Aaron Wise, Kevin Yu.
