The Fantasy Golfanac uses all PGA TOUR events where the course is played on bermudagrass greens. The specialists at the bottom show a much higher performance on bermudagrass greens when compared to bentgrass, seashore paspalum, and/or poa annua courses.

These stats look at overall performance (strokes gained total, not just putting). This allows us to include all events, including non-ShotLink events and also helps include golfers that may have a preference for chipping or hitting approach shots into a particular grass.

* Minimum 30 rounds to qualify. Stats are time-weighted and adjusted to the strength of competition.

Top 25 Performers on Bermudagrass Greens (since 2014)

Rory McIlroy (3.164 strokes gained:total)
Dustin Johnson (3.106 strokes gained:total)
Tiger Woods (2.786 strokes gained:total)
Jason Day (2.742 strokes gained:total)
Tommy Fleetwood (2.692 strokes gained:total)
Justin Rose (2.601 strokes gained:total)
Justin Thomas (2.591 strokes gained:total)
Jon Rahm (2.518 strokes gained:total)
Henrik Stenson (2.501 strokes gained:total)
Webb Simpson (2.484 strokes gained:total)
Matt Kuchar (2.394 strokes gained:total)
Rickie Fowler (2.348 strokes gained:total)
Patrick Cantlay (2.336 strokes gained:total)
Bryson DeChambeau (2.257 strokes gained:total)
Marc Leishman (2.225 strokes gained:total)
Adam Scott (2.219 strokes gained:total)
Paul Casey (2.197 strokes gained:total)
Jordan Spieth (2.17 strokes gained:total)
Hideki Matsuyama (2.158 strokes gained:total)
Louis Oosthuizen (2.076 strokes gained:total)
Francesco Molinari (2.068 strokes gained:total)
Rafa Cabrera Bello (2.067 strokes gained:total)
Sergio Garcia (2.04 strokes gained:total)
Ian Poulter (1.996 strokes gained:total)
Luke List (1.995 strokes gained:total)

Top 25 Bermuda Specialists
(Bermuda Performance vs. Expected Strokes Gained)

Sam Burns (1.779 sg:bermuda vs. 1.017 sg:total)
Keith Mitchell (1.78 sg:bermuda vs. 1.198 sg:total)
Rory Sabbatini (1.49 sg:bermuda vs. 0.914 sg:total)
Nicholas Lindheim (0.577 sg:bermuda vs. 0.077 sg:total)
Chesson Hadley (1.37 sg:bermuda vs. 0.92 sg:total)
Kevin Chappell (1.935 sg:bermuda vs. 1.49 sg:total)
Luke List (1.995 sg:bermuda vs. 1.552 sg:total)
Austin Cook (1.74 sg:bermuda vs. 1.316 sg:total)
Webb Simpson (2.484 sg:bermuda vs. 2.067 sg:total)
Denny McCarthy (1.516 sg:bermuda vs. 1.099 sg:total)
Bryson DeChambeau (2.257 sg:bermuda vs. 1.848 sg:total)
Davis Love III (0.419 sg:bermuda vs. 0.017 sg:total)
Tiger Woods (2.786 sg:bermuda vs. 2.387 sg:total)
Lucas Glover (1.9 sg:bermuda vs. 1.515 sg:total)
Brian Gay (1.391 sg:bermuda vs. 1.026 sg:total)
Ryan Blaum (1.076 sg:bermuda vs. 0.711 sg:total)
Chris Kirk (1.529 sg:bermuda vs. 1.178 sg:total)
Dylan Frittelli (1.363 sg:bermuda vs. 1.019 sg:total)
Nick Watney (1.428 sg:bermuda vs. 1.087 sg:total)
Corey Conners (1.199 sg:bermuda vs. 0.875 sg:total)
Julian Etulain (1.155 sg:bermuda vs. 0.839 sg:total)
Grayson Murray (0.79 sg:bermuda vs. 0.475 sg:total)
Emiliano Grillo (1.937 sg:bermuda vs. 1.624 sg:total)
Billy Horschel (1.761 sg:bermuda vs. 1.451 sg:total)
Ryan Moore (1.995 sg:bermuda vs. 1.69 sg:total)

Top 25 Bermuda Anti-Specialists
(Bermuda Performance vs. Expected Strokes Gained)

Kiradech Aphibarnrat (0.354 sg:bermuda vs. 1.148 sg:total)
Rob Oppenheim (-0.501 sg:bermuda vs. 0.258 sg:total)
Brooks Koepka (1.663 sg:bermuda vs. 2.306 sg:total)
Tyrrell Hatton (1.172 sg:bermuda vs. 1.78 sg:total)
Michael Kim (-0.313 sg:bermuda vs. 0.284 sg:total)
Phil Mickelson (1.527 sg:bermuda vs. 2.111 sg:total)
Robert Garrigus (-0.03 sg:bermuda vs. 0.531 sg:total)
Anirban Lahiri (0.379 sg:bermuda vs. 0.936 sg:total)
Josh Teater (-0.157 sg:bermuda vs. 0.386 sg:total)
David Lingmerth (0.437 sg:bermuda vs. 0.957 sg:total)
Chris Stroud (0.175 sg:bermuda vs. 0.674 sg:total)
Bubba Watson (1.364 sg:bermuda vs. 1.847 sg:total)
Max Homa (-0.689 sg:bermuda vs. -0.208 sg:total)
Danny Willett (0.136 sg:bermuda vs. 0.579 sg:total)
Branden Grace (1.098 sg:bermuda vs. 1.534 sg:total)
Whee Kim (-0.02 sg:bermuda vs. 0.411 sg:total)
Sam Ryder (0.66 sg:bermuda vs. 1.089 sg:total)
Beau Hossler (0.84 sg:bermuda vs. 1.238 sg:total)
Scott Langley (0.187 sg:bermuda vs. 0.583 sg:total)
Nate Lashley (0.763 sg:bermuda vs. 1.136 sg:total)
Chad Campbell (0.377 sg:bermuda vs. 0.747 sg:total)
Danny Lee (0.709 sg:bermuda vs. 1.076 sg:total)
Brandon Harkins (0.46 sg:bermuda vs. 0.824 sg:total)
Brendan Steele (0.945 sg:bermuda vs. 1.309 sg:total)
Tony Finau (1.734 sg:bermuda vs. 2.095 sg:total)

Last Updated: April 29th, 2019

Golfer Quotes

KEITH MITCHELL: It’s definitely the grass, It’s Bermuda. I grew up on Bermuda. I know how to putt it. I know how to read it. It’s definitely helped a lot. I just have a tough time reading poa annua greens, and here in Florida, it’s just a lot better for me. The last great tournament I had was Sony, and I was in the last group on Bermuda greens. I don’t want to say my game is winnier on Bermuda greens, but I’ve just got to get better on the West Coast and poa annua. I’m playing every Bermuda event we’ve got this year. -2019 Honda, PGATOUR.com

DYLAN FRITTELLI: The ball-striking was really good today, I knew that with the kind of golf course we have, especially with the changes made, with the Bermuda grass. I play a lot of golf on Bermuda back home in America, and a few PGA Tour events, as well as a few mainland Europe events, but I felt at home. I felt comfortable and hopefully I can just keep that rolling for the rest of the week -2018 Leopard Creek

Q. And how close is this to sometimes the conditions of the greens, things like that, of the Stadium course at THE PLAYERS?
WEBB SIMPSON: They’re similar.

I think it’s the same type of strain, but I love bermuda greens. Bermuda nowadays runs so well. It feels nice being on bermuda. -2018 Sea Island

Q. How does a guy from Sacramento end up being a Texas Aggie?
CAMERON CHAMP: It was just through the recruiting process. I played a tournament in Houston. Kind of a funny story. JT asked me if I would come to the campus. I probably would not have gone and looked at A&M. I saw it just kind of fell in love compared to all the other schools I was looking at.

And for me, just to kind of get a little away from home, too. Slightly different weather conditions. I didn’t grow up on bermuda; for me it was poa and bent, so it was really new to me. I thought it was kind of a good choice. -2018 CC of Jackson

Q. You have two 68s here. Last year you finished tied for 10th. How familiar are you with the golf course and how much did that help you out this round?
SHAWN STEFANI: You know, I am pretty familiar with it. I think I’ve played here since they started hosting the tournament here. I really like it here. I grew up on bermuda grass. It’s nice to get back to bermuda grass. -2018 CC of Jackson

Q. Do you like the bermuda golf course? I mean, it’s all over the place.
HUDSON SWAFFORD: Oh, yeah. It’s what I grew up, what I’m accustomed to. I mean, it plays a big factor in the game. It’s a lot different than what we normally play. This is what I play at home, so used to it, know it, understand it. -2018 CC of Jackson

PETER UIHLEIN: I think it’s just a comfort thing. I think if you go to certain places where guys live there or play there a lot or practice there or whatever, I think it makes a big difference. I played nine holes yesterday at Sedgefield, it’s bermudagrass, it’s stuff I’m comfortable with. -2018 Wyndham

JORDAN SPIETH: Personally, I like this grass type better. I grew up on this, Bermuda, not the overseed, having to judge firmer, faster greens, and then the biggest change will be within the rough. Obviously around the greens, overseed becomes an easier grass to chip off of than this grainy Bermuda. But out of the rough, judging fliers and shots around the green, explosion shots, having that kind of feel, that goes away a little bit when overseed comes in. It becomes a little bit easier. -2018 PLAYERS

Q. Given your progression, can you put into words what your appetite is for Augusta in two weeks, just given where you’ve come from?
TIGER WOODS: I’m looking forward to it. I haven’t really thought that much about it, especially this week. I’ve been grinding and focusing on this week, trying to win this thing and now the tournament’s over, I’ll start to make some changes for Augusta, what kind of equipment setup I’m going to go with, some things I want to do with my swing. As crazy as this may sound I haven’t putted on bent grass in two years. Mine is Bermuda, you can’t have bent down here, it is way too hot. So, no, I haven’t done a lot of these things, so these next couple weeks will be good work. -2018 Bay Hill

DANIEL BERGER: There’s not a lot of grass on them to be honest. But I grew up on these type of greens, bermudagreens, so for me it’s comfortable. I’ve been putting well, so I feel good. -2018 Honda

ALEX NOREN: I actually thought coming from poa greens the last few weeks, they have been very good on the West Coast, but I prefer bermudagreens. It’s easier to see where the lines are when it’s into the grain, down grain. I prefer this. -2018 Honda

Q. We know how good your start was on this PGA TOUR season on the West Coast, but everybody talks about that transition, coming from the grasses there to the grasses here. How have you managed that transition this week?
ALEX NOREN: In the winters, I spend the winters like 15 minutes done the road from this place and it’s got the same grass at The Bear’s Club. So I’m used to the bermuda. We play a lot more in Europe and the Middle East and Asia where they have bermuda, but we’re used to this. -2018 Honda

Q. Is the putter still a work in progress, or do you think just switching grasses is going to —
RORY McILROY: Yeah, I think getting back to bermuda’s going to be a little bit easier. It was nice to play sort of early the last couple days, the greens didn’t get too crusty, didn’t get too bumpy. I felt like even coming down the last few holes there, there were still good surfaces. Nice to get back onto bermuda and surfaces being a little bit truer than what we’ve experienced the last couple weeks. -2018 Riviera

JON RAHM: Yeah, one of the first things I told my caddie [Ben Shur] was that I’m no good on Bermuda, so I needed a lot of help. But, hey, my last win was on Bermuda. I changed my chipping, I changed my putting, to play on Bermuda. –GolfWorld

ADAM HADWIN: So the way it sets up, the way the grass is, the way the greens are, this is what I grew up putting on as well, so I love putting on the West Coast. I feel like chipping from around the greens seems a lot easier, just the way the grass is. I struggle with Bermuda still and so I kind of like to make hay on the West Coast when I can. -2018 PGA WEST

Q. Blayne, you had a career low on Seaside last year, first round, now you’re up near the lead on Plantation on Thursday, so what is it with this place and Thursdays with you?
BLAYNE BARBER: Yeah, I just always have liked this place. We played the SEC Championship here every year when I was in school and I had success here last year. I just play well kind of on bermudagrass in the southeast, it’s just what I grew up with, what I’m used to. It’s been a long year, just looking forward to a good week to finish it off. -2017 Sea Island

Q. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think last year when you were here you also had found something with your putting. Talk about maybe the game and the similarities of finding something close to this event.
HUDSON SWAFFORD: I love bermuda greens. I grew up on bermuda greens like we have here. I feel like I putt bermuda greens well. I feel like my putting’s been actually pretty good, it was pretty good in Asia. I really, really struggled with my iron play and kind of found something this past weekend, slash, early in the week that just kind of gave me a little more confidence than I had in Asia. It was kind of a struggle over there. -2017 Sea Island

Q. Jon, how would you assess your round?
JON RAHM: To be honest, it’s probably one of the most organized rounds I’ve played in a very long time. I’m not the best player in bermudagrass. I try to be a little smarter, try to have the uphill putts. -2017 East Lake

Q. Is there a reason why you’re not as comfortable on bermudagrass?
JON RAHM: I never grew up on it so it’s hard for me to read the break and then add or take break away because of the grain. When it comes to chipping on bermuda rough, we all know how hard it is. So when you haven’t grown up on it, it’s a bit of an adjustment period. -2017 East Lake

Q. You play well at classic courses like Sedgefield and Greenbrier. Does that have a lot of those common threads and what is it about those kinds of courses that you play well at?
WEBB SIMPSON: Yeah, I mean, I love tree-lined golf courses. I grew up in the Pinehurst area. I also love bermudagrass. I typically play better in the south, but if I can see a hole shaped by trees, I tend to drive it better. I don’t necessarily like courses that are completely open with no trees. So yeah, it’s a comfort thing, I think. -2017 East Lake

Q. What do you remember about this course, what do you like about it?
DANIEL BERGER: I like everything about it. It just fits my eye. The grass is the same grass I grew up on playing in south Florida and the greens are perfect. So when you get perfect bermuda and people are worried about grain, this is 15 years that I’ve putted on this stuff. So like these older other veterans, players that have played out here for many years, it feels like I’m more of a veteran out on these greens. -2017 TPC Southwind

Q. Why does this course suit your eye so much? You made every cut here dating back to 2003. Like you mentioned, you won here three years ago.
BEN CRANE: I love the fact that you really can’t play from the rough on this golf course, you’ve got to play from the fairway. But I try to played aggressively, get as far up in the fairway as you can. The Zoysia fairways just fit my eye. You get such great lies off the Zoysia, but the greens are just perfect. I love grain, I love these bermuda greens. I just feel like I can just get the ball going on the right line, and so many good things happen when you’re on these just perfect greens. -2017

JASON DAY: I think it’s very, very difficult golf course. Once again, we do have a little bit of weather here every now and then, but for the most part it’s a very difficult golf course at this time, especially with the Bermudagrass and with the current position of them actually thinking about changing the date, that will change the way the grass plays and everything else, so that may change the way that I view the golf course as well, because I tend to like kind of overseeded ryegrass and more so than the Bermuda. -2017 PLAYERs

JORDAN SPIETH: It’s just been on and around the greens I just haven’t quite figured it out. These greens get pretty crusty and, historically, whenever firm Bermuda or greens are crusty to where it’s tough to set the putter down, I just struggle with my alignment and it just kind of throws me off. It happened again here. -2017 PLAYERS

JORDAN SPIETH: I got bent grass coming up. I love Bermuda grass, I feel like it is my best chance to putt well, but when it gets crusty I’ve got to find a new way to do things that I haven’t quite figured out yet. But we’re going to bent, I won’t have to worry about that and I’ve putted well the next two weeks historically. So I’m pleased to be going there and it will be fun being at home. -2017 PLAYERS

Q. Have you played here before? Do you have any preconceived notions coming here?
BLAYNE BARBER: Yeah, I played the Junior PLAYERS, AJGA twice, and I actually won the Florida State Amateur here in 2009. So I have good memories here, I like the golf course, I’m a Florida boy, so I feel comfortable on Bermuda grass, and I grew up coming to the PLAYERS as a young kid, so it’s fun to be here playing for the first time. -2017 PLAYERS

Q. You talked about the Bermuda greens. Being from the region, do you consider that your an advantage and you also very often played much better in the southeast. Is that also an advantage for you?
KEVIN KISNER: A hundred percent. I love getting here to get on the Bermuda grass, it’s what I grew up on, I feel like I can read the greens very good here and I use it to my advantage. That’s, I just try to get through that West Coast and get over here to start making some money. -2017 Bay Hill

WESLEY BRYAN: It was really nice getting back on the East Coast on some bermudagreens that I grew up on as a kid. Yeah, the putter was hot and able to roll a few in. -2017 Honda

Q. You’re a southern guy, so these greens really suit you, don’t you?
HUDSON SWAFFORD: Absolutely, yeah. This is what I grew up on. I guess we were bent in Athens, but there was a lot of places that had bermuda. Growing up, you live on bermuda. -2017 Honda

Q. You said the bermudarough, it’s new to you and you never know how it’s going to come out?
TYRRELL HATTON: It frustrates me so much. It’s so inconsistent. Hopefully I can hit 18 greens tomorrow. -2017 Honda

Q. You seem to have struggled a bit with chipping out of the bermudarough. I saw a couple times, you got upset about the result.
TYRRELL HATTON: Just it frustrates me a little bit. I find it really inconsistent. Sometimes it will come out soft and go like three feet in front of you, and you haven’t sort of made a bad swing, kind of thing.

The next one, you do exactly the same and it will come out hot and goes like 15 feet past the hole. So it’s just maybe I’m not used to it but at the moment it frustrates me a little bit. -2017 Honda

BILLY HORSCHEL: I knew coming here I was going to feel comfortable, and I’m ready to kick off my year. I’m back to where I feel comfortable on the East Coast playing bermudagreens, bermudarough, ryegrass, whatever. I’m used to this stuff. I’m excited about the process forward. -2017 Honda

GEORGE McNEILL: Being back in Florida, I feel a little more comfortable, back on bermudagrass and bermudagreens. The stuff out west, I can’t putt out there. Being back in Florida, it helps. -2017 Honda

RUSSELL HENLEY: I like that the greens are bermuda, just like I practice on at home. -2017 Sony Open

HUDSON SWAFFORD: …but growing up on bermuda, I feel like I have a good understanding kind of what it does. -2017 Sony Open

BRIAN STUARD: You know, I don’t know. Seems to be I like playing in the warm weather for sure and, you know, I guess I like these bermuda greens. I don’t know. Something about it. -2016 TPC Southwind

SHAWN STEFANI: Being here in the heat, the bermuda grass the zoysia fairways and the town is very nice. I feel like I have a lot of support. I feel like I’m kind of a home town kid over here. I do like it here and you know, it really is one of my favorite places on Tour to come. -2016 TPC Southwind

HUDSON SWAFFORD: I live an hour from here, didn’t have to get on a plane, grew up two and a half hours from here, Bermuda grass, it’s kind of home. I like playing on Bermuda. I like Pete Dye golf courses. -2016 PLAYERS

LUCAS GLOVER: Yeah, I grew up in the South, grew up on Bermuda fairways, grew up with Bermuda rough, and the greens I grew up on weren’t quite this good Bermuda, but still pretty darned good. -2016 CC of Jackson

KEVIN KISNER: I don’t get along with that poa annua too well. I don’t know what it is, either; I guess it’s just how I grew up. But Bermuda is sweet, and seems like every time around this time of year I start playing better, so it must be the grass. -2015 PLAYERS

HARRIS ENGLISH: Playing at Waialae is one of my favorite golf courses. It kind of reminds me of growing up in South Georgia, playing on Bermuda grass, firm and fast greens. -2015 Sony Open

DAVIS LOVE III: I enjoy this golf course. I’ve always enjoyed it. With the bermuda greens, Dustin and I were talking, it’s like we putt at home. We’re used to fast, firm, bermuda greens. Some guys don’t like putting on them. Again, this is a lot like Hilton Head or some of the courses we play that you have to think your way around the golf course and it’s a challenge. -2013 TPC Southwind

HARRIS ENGLISH: I grew up on greens like this down in South Georgia, fast bermuda greens. I’m very comfortable on these type of greens. I know when it’s going to be fast and it’s really fast and when into the grain, it’s really slow. I have a good handle on the speed. That’s really what helped me today, when you get the speed down on the greens, you can start making some putts. -2013 TPC Southwind

Q. Statistically this is your best two years in putting, do you feel like your putting is better?
BOO WEEKLEY: We’re back on Bermuda. That’s what we mostly played so far this year. You look at it, just about every golf course we play, the tournaments I’ve played are Bermuda. That helps me out except when I’m on the West Coast. -2013 Heritage

Q. Up north on the bent?
BOO WEEKLEY: Yeah, I mean, I don’t know, I ain’t figured out how to read that yet. -2013 Heritage

Jim Bones Mackay: One read for bent, two for Bermuda. On Bermuda greens, which are slower and have more grain than bent-grass greens, I give two reads: a firm-speed read and a dying-speed read. You have options because you can afford to take some of the break out of the putt by hitting it harder, knowing the ball won’t roll too far past. On bent-grass greens, however, there really is only one true read: one where the ball will roll a foot and a half by the hole if it doesn’t go in.

At Augusta, where the bent-grass greens are free of grain and as fast as they get, the reads are simplified, and Phil and I decide on a line based on our mutual understanding of that one speed. When you’re reading greens for a partner, though, make sure you’re speaking the same language, and with consideration for the surface you’re playing. -Jim “Bones” Mackay, 2009 GolfDigest