The world’s top golfers will head this week to the renowned Seaside and Plantation courses at Sea Island, Georgia for the 2016 staging of the RSM Classic. A cool $6 million is at stake for this week’s field with the champion grabbing not only 500 FedExCup points but also the $1.08 million top prize. Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of the 2016 RSM Classic and while you’re at it, you can check out the experts’ picks for this prestigious golf tournament.
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Favorites – Chris Kirk (+1,200) and Brandt Snedeker (+1,400)
The one golfer to watch out for this week is Chris Kirk. He has been playing some excellent golf of late, posting top-10s in three of his last four PGA Tour starts. He also loves playing in this Sea Island course as evidenced by his tournament win here in 2013. Kirk followed that up with a tie for fourth in 2014 and a tie for 18th last year. That lethal combination of form and experience will be a huge advantage for Kirk heading into the RSM Classic this week.
Another golfer who’s playing well at the moment is Brandt Snedeker. He stormed to his first European Tour title last month with a mammoth nine-shot victory at the Fiji International. The Ryder Cup star shot a 16-under total in an event co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia. He will look to translate that excellent form here in the RSM Classic, the site of his 32nd-place finish in 2011.
High-Value Sleepers – Russell Henley (+2,500) and Charles Howell III (+2,800)
One golfer who loves playing here in Sea Island is Russell Henley. The Georgia native has found the top 10 at the RSM Classic in each of the past two seasons, tying for fourth in 2014 and for sixth last year. Henley has been playing some solid golf of late as well, nabbing top-25s in each of his last two starts. Key to Henley’s resurgence has been his superb play from tee to green. He is 41st in the PGA Tour in strokes gained in that particular department with an impressive .963 average. At last year’s event, Henley tied for ninth in greens in regulation and ranked 11th in putts per GIR.
Another golfer who’s primed for a huge performance this weekend is Charles Howell III. In six career starts here at the RSM Classic, Howell has found the top-10 on three occasions. He tied for seventh at the OHL Classic last week which is his best result since undergoing mouth surgery back in July.
One long shot who can definitely make a run at the RSM Classic title this week is Chad Campbell. He finished tied for ninth in this event last year, shooting a 10-under-par total of 272. What makes Campbell such a threat in every golf tournament that he competes on is his solid hitting off the tee. He is 48th in the PGA Tour in driving accuracy percentage with a remarkable 64.73 percent clip. That incredible precision will come in handy for the veteran when tackling the narrow fairways of this notoriously tough Sea Island course.
Writer’s Prediction
Russell Henley (+2,500) captures his first RSM Classic crown.
