Now that all the buzz and prestige from The Masters has died down, it’s time for another installment from what most golfers consider as the second-best course behind Augusta: the Harbor Town Golf Links for the annual RBC Heritage tournament.
With reigning champion Jim Furyk sidelined due to an injury to his right wrist, we’re definitely about to crown a new winner on Sunday. Jason Day leads the pack of hungry competitors looking to bounce back from a hectic week at Augusta National, but who else should we keep an eye on at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina?
Let’s take a look at some notable golfers worth placing some stakes at this week. And if you’re in need of more viable and enticing options for this post-Masters event, check out our very own sleeper picks right after this.
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2016 RBC Heritage Preview
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Jason Day
As a matter of fact, and save for the time he got cut at the Farmers Insurance Open, Day finished in the top 25 in all six tournaments this season. Five of which were in the Top 11, counting his victories at Bay Hill and Austin.
However, this will be the Aussie’s first trip to Hilton Head in three years, and his best finish in this week’s tournament was ninth back in 2011. Still, the Queensland native’s stats this season have been nothing but glowing. He’s currently fourth on the Tour in strokes gained: putting and seventh in the overall statistic. And with such stellar form, Day could very well be the talk of the town once more after he wins his third tournament in less than two months.
Paul Casey
Like Day, Paul Casey wasn’t present at the RBC Heritage last year. Then again, the decade-long PGA Tour veteran made all of his starts at Harbor Town truly count by finishing in the top 25 in all three career appearances, with his latest being a solid T18 from 2014.
What’s promising about Casey’s prospects of finally winning this week’s tournament is his rather glitzy record this season. Last season, he had eight top-10 finishes. Now he has four top 10s from just 10 starts in this campaign already, including his spectacular T4 finish from Augusta just this past week.
It’s been about seven years since the Englishman last won a PGA Tour title, but Casey’s outlook to finally break that slump is as assuring as ever, especially with his brilliant outing from the Masters.
Sleepers
Matt Kuchar
Another golfer who has stepped up at the RBC Heritage is Matt Kuchar. Actually, he’s arguably one of the best there is at this week’s course. The 37-year-old has not missed a cut at Harbor Town in 13 years to go with five top-25 finishes, and he even won this event back in 2014 followed by a superb solo fifth last year.
While Kuchar’s record at Hilton Head is astounding, his play this season is what knocks him down to sleeper status. His best finish thus far is T8 at the Northern Trust Open in February for one of just of two top-10 finishes at official PGA Tour events this season. Nevertheless, he still has four top-15s since the start of 2016, so another win at this week’s tournament is not that far-fetched at all.
Scott Brown
Probably the hardest-working man in this week’s field, World No. 49 Scott Brown has already participated in 15 tournaments this season. He made the cut in all six of his latest starts, with a pair of nice finishes from the month of March at Copperhead (T7) and Coco Beach (T5).
In addition, Brown also made the cut at Harbor Town in all three of his career appearances, with his best showing being a T5 finish from 2014. Although Brown’s overall output this season has been erratic to say the least (four cuts, another four finishes outside the top 30), the Augusta native’s current six-game form and record at the RBC Heritage certainly deserves some recognition and attention from bettors like us.
Long Shot
Chez Reavie
As the third-best player in scrambling this season on the PGA Tour, Chez Reavie appears well-equipped to navigate through the nooks and crannies of Harbor Town. The Arizona State product even has a couple of seventh-place finishes (at the Northern Trust and Houston Opens) from his last four starts under his belt.
However, the 34-year-old also had subpar results – T22 at the Valspar Championship and T60 at the Anold Palmer Invitational – sandwiched between those top-10 finishes we just mentioned. Furthermore, Reavie has not won a PGA Tour event since 2008, and has no top-50 finish at Harbor Town to his credit yet.
Heck, he was even cut from last year’s edition of the RBC Heritage, so you could really do better than Reavie if quality dark horse picks are really your thing.
Writer’s Prediction
Matt Kuchar becomes just the 11th golfer to win multiple RBC Heritage titles.
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