RBC Heritage

Odds to Win Tournament

After a mind-blowing performance by Jordan Spieth last week at the Masters, the PGA sets its sights on South Carolina where they are going for the RBC Heritage. It has been played one or two weeks after the first major of the year since 1974 and was first established on the tour back in 1969. The par-71, 7,101-yard course has been host to some tremendous champions in the past as Davis Love III has the most wins (5) here and Boo Weekley (2007, 2008) is the last golfer to win both twice and back-to-back in the tourney. Last year, the heroics of Matt Kuchar stole the show, as he followed a horrible three-putt from close range on the 17th-hole with a hole out from the sand on 18 to secure the win behind a score of 11-under par. The field will be led by world No. 2 and Masters champion Jordan Spieth but will have just one other player (Jim Furyk) from the top-10 and another six golfers from the top-25. The RBC Heritage is one of just a few tournaments that is invite only, and hence has fewer players (132) teeing off, so let’s look through those guys and find some who can slow down the wrecking ball that is Spieth.

Jim Furyk: Furyk has not had the great season that many expect out of him so far and has seen his standing decrease in the past three weeks, leading to a missed cut in Augusta. He will have those extra days to prepare for Harbour Town GL, a spot where he has won before (2010) and has since had three top-21 finishes with an eighth (2012) and seventh (2014) mixed in. Despite his less than stellar performances this year, the 16-time PGA winner has hit 72.3% of fairways (5th on tour) and ranks second in proximity to hole (33’0”). It is more his short game which has been lacking, but that has never been his strength and shouldn’t hurt his overall chances going into this event.

Brandt Snedeker: Snedeker is a former champion here when he took the win in 2011 behind a score of 12-under, defeating Luke Donald on the third playoff hole. Since then he has struggled slightly, making all three cuts, but hasn’t done better than 59th in the last two years. He’s had a bounce-back year in 2015, eclipsing his earnings over 25 events last year through his first 12 outings this season in which he has seven top-25s and a win. He has not excelled in any one area on the year, but ranks in the top-50 in strokes gained putting (0.467, 28th on tour), sand save percentage (57.3%, 38th on tour) and scrambling (64.9%, 15th on tour). His solid short game allows him to be a threat every week and he should always be someone to watch.

Luke Donald: The trophy at this event has eluded Donald in the past and despite dominating with three runner-ups and two third place finishes in the last six seasons, he has been unable to actually get the win. Last year he held the lead going into the final round and despite shooting a solid 69, could not stay with winner Matt Kuchar. He is a combined 50-under par on this course in the last six years and has hit double-digits under par in all but two of his visits. He hasn’t had the greatest season coming in, making just 5-of-9 cuts with one top-25, but should be able to come around at a course where he obviously feels very comfortable.

Ben Martin: Martin’s early win this year has him in the top-15 of the FedEx Cup standings and he proved at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, his last event that wasn’t the Masters, that the victory wasn’t a fluke with a top-five finish behind a score of 14-under par. It was his fourth top-25 on the year and he has been able to have a career-best start to the year as he hits 70.8% of GIR (9th on tour) and is accurate off the tee (66.2%, 38th on tour). Martin also knows how to navigate this venue and put it together last year with three rounds of 69 or better, finishing just two shots off the lead with a third-place as he hit better than 64% of GIR and fairways. Martin knows what it takes to win on the tour and is worth a look in this one.

Alex Cejka: Cejka is another winner from this season that doesn’t quite get the respect that he should due to the tournament being the Puerto Rico Open. Still, he has since made the cut in each of the two events since and is coming off an 11th at the Shell Houston Open. He is a very hit-or-miss type of player and has made the cut in just 8-of-14 outings, but has been in the top-25 in five of the eight made cuts. His best showing here came in 2009 when he tied for 13th, but he has not played at the course in the last two years and withdrew in 2012. Cejka could heat up and strike gold this week, but also has a chance at falling deep into the pack and miss the cut, so only go with him if you are looking to take a chance.