GOLF.AI • Feb 23, 2026

Goodbye Poa, Hello Bermuda Test

The West Coast Swing concluded with a familiar challenge at The Riviera Country Club: mastering the notoriously difficult Poa annua greens. Tournament host Tiger Woods, watching from the broadcast booth, perfectly described the effect of the soft-but-fast, bumpy surfaces as a 'plinko board,' where aggressive putting is often rewarded over delicate touch. The unpredictable nature of Poa demands a unique skillset, one that can frustrate even the best putters in the world.

This year's master of the Poa puzzle was Jacob Bridgeman, who rode a hot putter to his first PGA TOUR victory at The Genesis Invitational. In a telling statistic, Bridgeman led the entire field in Strokes Gained: Putting, proving that navigating Riviera’s unique challenge was the ultimate key to victory. His performance was a masterclass in adapting to and conquering some of the trickiest greens on TOUR.

As the TOUR shifts east, Jordan Spieth provided the perfect transition narrative. After a T12 finish at Riviera, Spieth noted he had rediscovered his putting 'weapon' on the Poa surfaces but acknowledged that his ball-striking needs work before tackling the Florida Swing. 'I want to get it a little bit tighter off the tee... it was kind of C control and A putting,' Spieth said, highlighting the changing demands of the upcoming courses.

The Florida Swing, kicking off with the Cognizant Classic at PGA National and the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, presents a completely different test. The bumpy, unpredictable Poa gives way to firm, grainy Bermuda greens. This surface change shifts the emphasis from creative, feel-based putting to precise, elite-level ball-striking where hitting greens in regulation and controlling trajectory are paramount.

This transition could spell opportunity for players whose primary strength is their iron play. Elite ball-strikers like Scottie Scheffler (T12) and Collin Morikawa (T7), who posted strong finishes at Riviera but were ultimately out-dueled on the greens, should be watched closely. Their world-class tee-to-green games are perfectly suited for the purer test of Bermuda, where confident ball-striking is rewarded with more predictable results on the putting surfaces. The Sunshine State is ready to ask a new set of questions, and a different style of player may have the answer.