Slate Breakdown | The RBC Heritage
The week following a Major Championship can sometimes feel like a letdown, or what some might call a "Major Championship Hangover." It's a genuine experience for golfers; Rory McIlroy has withdrawn from this week's event, and Jordan Spieth has mentioned feeling "fatigued." However, due to its new "elevated status," the RBC Heritage boasts its strongest field ever, featuring nearly all of the world's top players. Let's delve into the event, explore the course, and learn about the golfers competing this week.
The Tournament
Scheduling a tournament right after The Masters may not be ideal for attracting a world-class field every year, but the RBC Heritage and Harbour Town Golf Links remain popular among golfers. Located on the picturesque Hilton Head Island, 144 golfers were initially slated to participate in the prestigious event. However, several withdrawals have reduced the field size to below 144, and alternates will be added if the number falls below 130. Among the approximately 140 competitors this week, many of the world's top 20 golfers are present, with the notable exceptions of Liv golfer Cam Smith and the previously mentioned McIlroy. After 36 holes, a cut will be made, with the top 65 golfers and ties advancing to the weekend.
Additionally, the RBC Heritage is classified as a "Deluxe Event," offering a total prize pool of $350,000 and top prizes of $20,000 at both the ELITE and REIGNMAKER levels.
The Course
Harbour Town Golf Links, this week's host course, garners high praise from golfers. Several players in the field, including favorite Patrick Cantlay, have expressed their admiration for the course, with Cantlay even declaring it his favorite on the PGA Tour. Harbour Town Golf Links encapsulates the ambiance of Hilton Head Island, with the iconic island lighthouse looming in the distance of the 18th hole as the course's symbol. Designed by renowned architect Pete Dye, the course is not a haven for long hitters, featuring numerous holes where a driver isn't required off the tee. Winding through Hilton Head's mangroves and extending to the beach, this spectacular course offers a captivating experience for players each year.
Last 5 RBC Heritage Winners & Winning Score to Par:
- 2022: Jordan Spieth, (-18)
- 2021: Stewart Cink, (-19)
- 2019: C.T. Pan, (-12)
- 2018: Satoshi Kodaira, (-12)
- 2017: Wesley Bryan, (-13)
The Golfers
This week, over 140 golfers arrive at Hilton Head Island, making up the strongest field in the tournament's history. With only McIlroy, Jason Day, and Alex Noren withdrawing, 44 of the world's top 50 ranked golfers will be competing. Among them are newly-crowned Masters Champion Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler, Max Homa, Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas, and many others. Additionally, several golfers in top form will be participating, including Matt Kuchar, Rickie Fowler, Taylor Montgomery, and Sam Ryder.
Three-Ball: 3 Draft Kings Reignmakers PGA TOUR Targets
Last week saw a strong performance, with two out of three golfers making it to the weekend. Chris Kirk exceeded expectations, and Morikawa secured a solid top 10 finish. It was one of three consecutive tournaments for Collin, who is already committed to next week's event, the Zurich Classic—a team event—where he will be playing alongside Max Homa. They are expected to be one of the top two favorites, along with defending champion Patrick Cantlay and his partner.
Xander Schauffele
Committing to players for two to three weeks has repeatedly proven advantageous this year in the Reignmaker PGA TOUR game. Xander, the defending champion of next week's event alongside the previously mentioned Cantlay, enters this week in good form. While perhaps not at his peak, his performance is still impressive, tying for 10th place last week and demonstrating exceptional iron play, ranking 5th in the field.
Sahith Theegala
The rising second-year star from Pepperdine has become one of the most captivating players to watch, thanks to his unique shot-making skills that help him escape tight spots. His vision around the green, once underrated, is now widely recognized, particularly after his remarkable "Tiger-esque" chip-in on the 16th hole at The Masters on Sunday. This week's course demands adept shot-making, and with momentum from his recent performance, he could be a dark horse to win the event or at least surpass expectations. Furthermore, he has partnered with Justin Suh for next week's tournament, forming a formidable team, as Suh has made significant strides this year.
Brandon Wu
Since I've already mentioned Suh, whom I believe is an excellent choice this week, let's consider another name. Wu, a second-year player, has had a more consistent start this year compared to his rookie season and is likely to play in the next three weeks. While we don't know his partner for next week's event yet, we do know that he nearly won the Mexico Open last year and could be among the top 10 favorites this year, based on the projected field. To capitalize on this potential, we can acquire a few shares now and expect a modest return over the next few weeks. We can then evaluate our next steps when his card prices are likely to increase in a few weeks.
