Plenty of field changes this week so make sure you’re up-to-date.
Dogs usually bark this week so dig deep but there is always quality on the leaderboard.
The RSM Classic
Sea Island Golf Club
Seas Island, Georgia
| Seaside Course (host): | |
| Yards (per official scorecard): | 7,005 |
| Par: | 70 (35-35) |
| Greens: | TifEagle Bermuda; 7,200 square feet. |
| Stimpmeter: | 12.5 feet and up. |
| Rough: | Tifway Bermuda at 2 inches. |
| Bunkers/Water Hazards | 47/14 with 13 holes in play. |
| Architects: | Harry Colt and Charles Alison (1929); Tom Fazio (1988). |
| Course Record: | 60; Tommy Gainey, Round 4, 2012 |
| Plantation Course | |
| Yards (per official scorecard): | 7,060 |
| Par: | 72 (36-36) |
| Greens: | TifEagle Bermuda; 6,100 square feet. |
| Stimpmeter: | 11.5 feet and up. |
| Rough: | TifTuf Bermuda at 1.5 inches. |
| Bunkers/Water Hazards | 81/10 with 10 holes in play. |
| Architects: | Walter Travis, Harry Colt and Charles Alison (1928); Davis Love III (2019). |
| Course Record: | 63; Chris Kirk, Round 1, 2018. |
| Purse: | $6.6 million; Winner $1.188 and 500 FedExCup points. |
| Defending Champion: | Tyler Duncan (-19, playoff). |
| Fact of the Week: | Of the last six winners, five have picked up their first TOUR win. |
| Fact of the Week II: | Seaside has the oldest TifEagle Bermuda greens on TOUR. |
Notes:
- Full Field – 156 players
- Alternate courses Rounds 1 and 2.
- Plantation joined the rotation in 2015 when the event was expanded to full field.
- Top 65 and ties play Seaside ONLY in Rounds 3 and 4.
- Best field in tournament history.
- No multiple champions; No defending champions.
2020-2021 Season Winners
*- First-time winner
**- First-time winner AND rookie winner
| Event | Winner |
| Safeway Open | Stewart Cink |
| 120th United States Open | Bryson DeChambeau |
| Corales Punta Cana Championship | Hudson Swafford |
| Sanderson Farms Championship | Sergio Garcia |
| Shriners Hospitals for Children | Martin Laird (playoff) |
| CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK | Jason Kokrak* |
| ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP | Patrick Cantlay |
| Bermuda Championship | Brian Gay |
| Vivint Houston Open | Carlos Oritz* |
| 84th Masters Tournament | Dustin Johnson |
Check out HORSES FOR COURSES for more details and angles for this week.
Previous Winners:
| Year | Winner | Comment | |
| 2019 | Tyler Duncan, | -19 | Posted three, bogey-free rounds before beating Webb Simpson in a playoff for his first career win. |
| 2018 | Charles Howell, III | -19 | Sea Island resident almost wired it and defeated Patrick Rodgers in a playoff. |
| 2017 | Austin Cook | -21 | Won for the first time on TOUR; won by four shots. |
| 2016 | Mackenzie Hughes | -17 | Highest winning score since the introduction of Plantation; First TOUR win in five-man playoff. |
| 2015 | Kevin Kisner | -22 | Tournament record in his first TOUR victory. |
Facts and Figures:
| Tournament Record: | 260 (-22); Kevin Kisner, 2015. |
| Course Record: | 60; Tommy Gainey, 2012. 63; Chris Kirk, 2018. |
| Lowest Rounds – Last Year | 61; Tyler Duncan, Round 2. 62; Denny McCarthy, Round 2; Brendon Todd, Round 3. |
| Defending Champion(s) Event: | Never. |
| Multiple Winners (entered): | Nope. |
| Oldest Winner: | 39; Charles Howell, III. |
| Youngest Winner: | 25; Mackenzie Hughes. |
| First Time – TOUR: | Six of 10. |
| First Time – Event | Cook, Hughes. |
| Odd Fact: | No winner has had a round of 70 or worse on the card. |
Quick Thoughts
Welcome to rest and relaxation with some golf mixed in!
Shootout time on the Golden Isles so open your mind and your betting books!
Time to go low, go low often and scores in the 70s need not apply.
Resort fairway widths, light rough and short tracks always open the door to everyone.
The greens are the only defense this week so players confident in racking up birdies will have my attention.
You’ll hear plenty about the folks who live on Sea Island this week. Howell is the only resident to win this event.
Georgia Bulldogs fare well here and the SEC tournament has been played here multiple times.
Bermuda greens are back on the menu so don’t be surprised for the Southeastern residents to be on the first couple of pages.
The WORST winning score since the addition of Plantation is 17-under; everything else is 19-under or better. Don’t make many bogeys!
This is year No. 2 post-Plantation renovation and that should help scoring but that track is only used once. Read Rob Bolton’s Fantasy Insider if you have questions about lineup balance. He’s the expert!
Chalk – Betting Favorites (Bet365.com) under 33-1
Webb Simpson (+900): Birdie machine on beloved Bermuda has hit the podium in his last two starts here but hasn’t won. Sounds like his Fall Wyndham! T10 last week at Augusta suggests the game is ready to win.
Tyrrell Hatton (+1800): His only poor events have been the three majors since August. Playing his sixth event in seven weeks means fatigue could be an issue. First time at the event won’t matter.
Sungjae Im (+2000): Not many guys find it at Augusta National but that’s exactly what he did last week in sharing second. Not much stress as he posted three of his four rounds in the 60s and the worst was 2-under 70. Since he never takes any time off, it’s not surprising he’s in the field again this week. My second choice.
Russell Henley (+2200): Similar to this season, he’s a bit all-or-nothing on Sea Island. He rattled off three straight top 10s before MC the last two years. Nothing worse than T29 in his last seven suggests the former. Buying.
Tommy Fleetwood (+2500): I can’t find the evidence to suggest THIS WEEK will be the week. His record in the States has been poor for the level of his quality.
Matthew Fitzpatrick (+2800): I need him on a tough track, not in a shootout, for his value to kick in.
Harris English (+2800): Remember, he was playing even better this time last season and MC here. Sometimes home games can be more of a distraction than a benefit. His best payday is T15 on debut in 2012, his only cashed check inside T25 eight starts.
Louis Oosthuizen (+3000): Quick! Name his last win worldwide! If you said late December of 2018 in his native South Africa, you’re correct. Last time he MC anywhere in the world it was up the coast on Hilton Head.
Select Next Tier (33-1 and up)
Jason Day (+3300): No, thanks.
Sebastian Munoz (+3500): Now we’re talking! T27 or better in his last five and has made the cut in both majors.
Joaquin Niemann (+3500): Dustin Johnson return from COVID absence or Adam Scott return from COVID absence? T23 or better in his last four before his time out.
Shane Lowry (+3500): Ringing that bell tee to green and won’t have any problem with a seaside breeze. T27 or better in his last four worldwide.
Jason Kokrak (+4000): Putted the dimples off of it in his win at Shadow Creek and will need a repeat performance this week. T17 or better in five straight before an early checkout at Augusta.
Corey Conners (+4000): Strikes balls for days folks and is shit fire hot. Putter is always the question but the converging trends are too difficult to ignore.
Kevin Kisner (+4000): Former champ with a few top 10s on Bermuda? Oh baby!
Brian Harman (+4500): Sea Island resident has posted six of his last 12 rounds here 66 or better and is a combined 37-under par. Only one top 10 in that three year span though. Sounds like his 2020 as he’s cashing for fun but nothing in the big dollars.
Mackenzie Hughes (+5500): Fantastic 2020 includes seven top 10s in his last 16 events. Done NOTHING here since his maiden victory.
Zach Johnson (+5500): Last time he played a short Bermuda track at Sedgefield he hit the top 10. Not crazy about 40-somethings in a shootout though.
Doc Redman (+5500): Plenty of first-time winners breakthrough here and he won’t have any trouble going low.
MY PEOPLE – Top 20 or Each Way Tickets
Talor Gooch (+6000): Playing great recently with a pair of top 5 finishes in his last two.
Denny McCarthy (+6600): Bermuda wizard will enjoy the bigger targets this week tee-to-green. Those of you who read this column shouldn’t be surprised to see his name this week.
C.T. Pan (+7000): Seven straight paydays highlighted by a top 10 last week at Augusta National. How’s the confidence, lad? Nibbles.
Russell Knox (+9000): T15 and T16 in his last two suggests something is brewing. Best result on Sea Island is T20 last year.
Aaron Wise (+10000): T26 in three of his last four and the best two are on Bermuda. Made 23 birdies on debut in 2018 and never worse than 70 in six rounds.
Henrik Norlander (+10000): Lost in a five-man playoff. T5 last year. Made the third-most birdies two years ago and was T54. Something about this place! WD COVID Noon Wednesday.
Patton Kizzire (+10000): Play that trend in his backyard!
David Hearn (+20000): He’ll make the cut
Richy Werenski (+20000): Shot 61 at Sherwood.
Davis Thompson (+22500): His dad is the tournament director and he’s the best amateur around. T23 last year.
Michael Gligic (+25000): Form form form.
Vaughn Taylor (+25000): If he’s going to break out, it’s here or Pebble.
Joey Garber (+60000): Local who advanced thru MQ.
I’ll have others at Covers.com
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out through Twitter or email me mikeglasscott@gmail.com.
Glass Houses 