How to bet the Charles Schwab Challenge: Keep back...
Key takeaways
- Most of the important approach shots are from under 200 yards and the guys who dial in their distances will hang around the leaderboard.
- Distance doesn't really move the needle, so I'm backing players with smart course management more than power.
- Here are some players I like to contend this week for the Charles Schwab Challenge.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Ludvig Aberg enters the week in excellent form and fits the course well. Andrew Redington/Getty Images Pamela Maldonado May 27, 2026, 06:45 AM ETClose Pamela Maldonado is a sports betting analyst for ESPN.Follow on XMultiple Authors Email Print Open Extended Reactions Colonial Country Club has chewed up plenty of players over the years. The fairways are narrow, the rough can get sticky and even when players club down off the tee, driving accuracy still hovers at about 60%. It's an iron play tournament, plain and simple.
Most of the important approach shots are from under 200 yards and the guys who dial in their distances will hang around the leaderboard. The restoration is now in year three so the greens and surrounding areas could finally play the way they were intended to, making putting important this week.
Distance doesn't really move the needle, so I'm backing players with smart course management more than power.