The PGA TOUR heads to Sea Island, Ga., for the RSM Classic this weekend. The par-70 Seaside Course at the Sea Island Resort hosts the 11th rendition of the tournament.
In last year’s event, Tyler Duncan defeated Webb Simpson in sudden death for his first career Tour win after shooting a 17-under score of 263.
While many tournaments changed dates to accommodate the pause in the season due to COVID-19, the RSM Classic has always been played in the fall. This year is a little different since the Masters was moved to November, having some impact on the field. Defending champion Duncan, among others that generally participate, will be absent.
There are some familiar names at the top of the betting lines, though, such as former U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson and Masters second-place finisher Sungjae Im. Simpson is the favorite with odds of +850, while Im pays out at +2200. There are some others down the list that should also get some betting consideration.
Matthew Fitzpatrick +2800
The 26-year-old Englishman has five European Tour victories but has yet to break through on the PGA TOUR. In 2020, Fitzpatrick had five top 10 finishes with a third place at the Memorial. This will be his first appearance at the RSM Classic.
Last week at the Masters, Fitzpatrick made the cut on the number and ended up in a tie for 46th. His current world golf ranking is 21st. He’s just the kind of player that can make the RSM Classic his first victory on Tour.
Shane Lowry +3500
Lowry is still the defending champion of the 2019 Open Championship due to the cancellation of the 2020 version. He’s coming off a respectable tie for 25th at the Masters, posting a pair of sub-70 rounds. His current Official World Golf Ranking is 27th, and he has a 2021 season-high finish of 11th at the Vivint Houston Open.
In addition to the 2019 Open Championship, Lowry won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in 2015. He also has three European Tour wins to his credit.
Dylan Frittelli +6000
The 30-year-old South African raised a lot of eyebrows with the length he displayed at the Masters. He shared the lead in the first round and ended up in a tie for fifth place with an 11-under par 277. Frittelli has one TOUR title, the 2019 John Deere Classic, as well as a pair of European Tour wins.
The former Texas Longhorn finished in a 35th-place tie in last year’s RSM Classic. His world ranking is 71st, but with his length and ability to score, that should rise in the near future. A win at the RSM this week would solidify him as a contender in 2021.
Matt Kuchar +7000
Kuchar lives in nearby St. Simons Island, so it’s a home game for the former United States Amateur champion. His best finish is a tie for 25th, but the nine-time TOUR winner still has plenty of good golf left in him. As recently as 2019, he grabbed a pair of TOUR victories. He’s still ranked 30th in the world despite a subpar 2020 season and missed the cut at the Masters.
Stewart Cink +12000
At the age of 47, Cink is playing some of the best golf of his career. In the 2021 season, he already has a win at the Safeway Open and a tie for fourth in the Bermuda Championship. His 2020 season was unimpressive, with only one top 10 finish. With odds that pay $12,000 on a $100 bet, Cink might not be a bad player to take a flyer on.
Featured Photo Credit: “Matt Kuchar” by patentboy is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
