Defending champion Jordan Spieth highlights a field of 17 of the top 20 golfers in the OWGR this week at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

READY. FIRE. AIM!

55th RBC Heritage

Harbour Town Golf Links

Hilton Head Island, SC

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Bolton’s Bonanza

I’d tell you to follow him on Twitter but if you’re here you probably ain’t on Twitter! @RobBoltonGolf just in case!

2023 Qualifiers for PLAYERS, majors

NOW PLAYING:

It’s a major field and major purse and there’s a jacket on the line!

The tartan blazer will be presented to the winner, and he’ll receive a bigger first-place check than Jon Rahm did at the Masters!

What a world!

Yet, there’s no McIlroy, Day, Noren or Zalatoris this week.

My guess is RBC received the bump after hosting the June edition in 2020, which helped the TOUR get back to business.

None of that matters this week as a big field on a tricky Pete Dye classic will battle it out.

Guys who didn’t play last week will be fresh but they will be guys who didn’t qualify for last week.

Guys who missed the cut at the Masters and are entered this week still had to slog it out, most of them, on Saturday.

Guys who finished the Masters will be able to put their feet in the sand for a few hours before playing for $20 million more.

What a wild two weeks!

Host Course	Harbour Town Golf Links
Yards (per official scorecard):	7,213.
Par:	71 (36-35).
Greens:	Poa Trivialis.
Stimpmeter:	11.5 feet.
Second Cut:	Ryegrass at 2.5 inches.
Bunkers/Water Hazards/In Play	54/18/18.
Architect(s):	Pete Dye (1967).
Purse:	$20 million; $3.6 winner plus 500 FedExCup points.
Defending Champion:	Jordan Spieth.
Multiple Champion(s) Entered (under 55):	Davis Love III (5), Stewart Cink (3), Jim Furyk (2).
72 Hole Tournament Record:	264; Brian Gay (-20), 2012.
72 Hole Tournament Record (June 2020):	262; Webb Simpson (-22).
Course Record:	61; Troy Merritt (2015); David Frost (1994).
Oldest Winner:	Hale Irwin, 48; 1994.
Youngest Winner:	Davis Love III, 1987.
Fact of the Week:	Brian Gay won by 10 shots in 2012.

Notes:

• First time as elevated event.
• Field of 143.
• 17 of the top 20 OWGR entered.
• 38 of the top 50 OWGR entered.
• Top 65 and ties play the final 36 holes.

Season Winners

2022-2023 Season Winners

Event	Winner
Fortinet Championship	Max Homa
Sanderson Farms Championship	Mackenzie Holmes
Shriners Children’s Open	Tom Kim
ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP	Keegan Bradley
CJ CUP at CONGAREE	Rory McIlroy
Butterfield Bermuda Championship	Seamus Power
Mayakoba Championship	Russell Henley
Cadence Bank Houston Open	Tony Finau
The RSM Classic	Adam Svensson (first TOUR win)
Sentry Tournament of Champions	Jon Rahm
Sony Open in Hawaii	Si Woo Kim
The AMERICAN EXPRESS	Jon Rahm (2)
Farmers Insurance Open	Max Homa (2)
AT&T Pebble Beach	Justin Rose
WM Phoenix Open	Scottie Scheffler
The Genesis Invitational	Jon Rahm (3)
The Honda Classic	Chris Kirk
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Kurt Kitayama (first TOUR win)
THE PLAYERS Championship	Scottie Scheffler (2)
Valspar Championship	Taylor Moore (first TOUR win)
Corales Puntacana	Matt Wallace (first TOUR win)
WGC – Dell Technologies MP	Sam Burns
Valero Texas Open	Corey Conners
Masters	Jon Rahm (4)

Recent Winners

Italics – not entered this week

Year	Winner	Notes
2022	Jordan Spieth (-13)	Defeated Patrick Cantlay in a playoff.
2021	Stewart Cink (-19)	Opened 63-63 to set 36 hole and 54 hole record to win for the third time.
2020	Webb Simpson (-22)	Set the tournament scoring record in the only June edition.
2019	CT Pan (-12)	Held off Matt Kuchar by a shot to win for the first time on TOUR.
2018	Satoshi Kodaira (-12)	Si Woo Kim couldn’t close the deal and lost to Kodaira in a playoff. First TOUR win.
2017	Wesley Bryan (-13)	South Carolina native becomes the first from the Palmetto state to win the event. First TOUR win.
2016	Branden Grace (-9)	Won by two. First TOUR win.

Same place on the calendar but a much different feel and field with the 2023 RBC Heritage.

Field is chalked with studs as the prize pool this week is larger than the Masters plus the winner gets more dollars as well.

Watching the coastal weather is always a past-time here and this week isn’t any different. After a brutal stop-start-start on the weekend at Augusta National, I’ll be VERY interested to see who has any gas left in the tank this week.

Chalk (via BetMGM)

Scottie Scheffler (+850): Unless one of his arms falls off he’s probably going to contend weekly. Interestingly enough, the last time he didn’t factor was Congaree (T45) last October in the state of South Carolina.

Jon Rahm (+900): There’s a reason he isn’t the favorite this week, folks! He should be out of gas by the turn on Friday and playing him to MC the cut this week would be my angle. It’s truly not about the money for the upper-echelon guys.

Patrick Cantlay (+1200): Gives me that Scheffler vibe of GOLF ROBOT. If he’s in the field, he’ll be a nuisance unless it’s in Florida. It ain’t!

Collin Morikawa (+1800): Wouldn’t surprise me if the duel on the weekend were the two California ball-strikers. Morikawa’s lack of length won’t be the difference this week. Easy greens to putt won’t hurt either. I’ll be putting him in all of my adjusted lineups from today.

Jordan Spieth (+2000): Won’t be fresh like last year as he rolled to victory lane after MC at the Masters. Go watch his presser from after his round on Sunday and get back to me. His greatest gift is just going out and playing. That might set him free this week or he, as the interview might provide the clue, is dead out of gas. It’s your money!

Cameron Young (+2000): It’s not “if” but when. This week is as good as any. First time he played the event last year he opened with 63 and closed with 66. That any good?

Viktor Hovland (+2200): Record at Pebble speaks for itself! Short game can make me queasy though…

Xander Schauffele (+2200): I’ll save him for the Zurich, if he’s playing with Cantlay again. Seems a bit unfair that pairing!

Tony Finau (+2500): Prefer a bigger ballpark where he can use his strength, his power, to his advantage.

Justin Thomas (+2500): Remember, if you play him every week, he will win at some point and you’ll be a genius. His short game suggests he’ll contend, if it’s on point. Finding the targets off the tee and into the green will be the separator.

Sungjae Im (+2500): Similar to Morikawa, he should enjoy that he won’t have to rip driver all week to keep up. Super iron player.

Top 10/Top 20/Top 40

Matt Fitzpatrick (+2800): Healthy, top 10 last week, and playing here for the ninth time.

Shane Lowry (+3000): Too many top 10s here in the last four to ignore. Went close in 2019 (T3), T9 in 2021 and T3 last year. He won’t miss as many short ones this week as he did at Augusta National!

Russell Henley (+4500): Careful, here. Hasn’t had back-to-back top 10 paydays since the fall of 2020.

Matt Kuchar (+4500): All you can get.

JT Poston (+6000): I don’t like this number but I love the form and course history.

Longer Shots

Use ’em wherever you see fit! All players listed are +20000 or worse and are for a reason or two!

Taylor Montgomery (+10000): Super, super putter.

Denny McCarthy (+12500): Love the number and him on Bermuda.

Wyndham Clark (+12500): Hot as a match.

Matt Wallace (+14000): Too many wins and plenty too well to be all the way down here.

Sam Ryder (+15000): Proper grinder.

Patrick Rodgers (+22500): Flashed in San Antonio.

Erik van Rooyen (+35000): Won’t win but T10, T21 last two visits.

Last Week – 87th Masters Tournament

Jon Rahm turned a four-shot deficit into a four-shot victory and his first green jacket.

Jordan Spieth made his annual run and came up just short, again.

Sahith Theegala hitting the top 10 covered some blemishes.

Chalk (via BetMGM)

Scottie Scheffler (+700): Defending champ. Stick him for a top 10 and enjoy. If he goes back-to-back to join Jack, Tiger and Sir Nick, I’ll stand and applaud. T10 but never threatened. Too many responsibilities, too many good players on this course.

Rory McIlroy (+700): This will be his ninth attempt at the career grand slam. Has anyone mentioned that this week or is it still the guys from the other TOUR? Should be focused and ready to go. Maddening to watch him play here at times. Oh, and he was on the proper side of the draw. MC.

Jon Rahm (+900): Math is lining up as Seve won his second 40 years ago. Never missed in six previous tries. Math lined up. WINNER.

Jordan Spieth (+1800): My main artist on his favorite canvas. Short game grinder won’t hurt if the weather turns this weekend. Yep, made a run at it while the others went backwards. This is his place. T4.

Patrick Cantlay (+1800): Heat trumps history. Perhaps. T14 after a very deliberate 75 on Sunday.

Justin Thomas (+2200): Interesting to see if this is the environment that will flip the switch in 2023. I’d stick a top 10 ticket on just in case. Stuck with another worthless piece of paper! Fantastic flame out on Saturday morning in the rain. MC.

Tony Finau (+2200): Another to watch when the wind blows on the weekend. Top 10. T26, his worst finish in six starts.

Cameron Smith (+2500): Just three events (54 holes each) for the fellas on the circuit. It’s your money, do what you like. T34.

Collin Morikawa (+2500): Shot 67 next to McIlroy’s 64 to close last year for solo fifth. Best round, best finish. T10 this year for back-to-back top 10s.

Dustin Johnson (+2500): Top LIV. Wrong! That would have been Phil and Brooks at T2. Reed was T4. Hell, he wasn’t even TOP JOHNSON! Zach beat him by 4 shots. T48.

Jason Day (+2500): Win and top 5 and top 10 and top 20. Began the final round 3-under, shot 80 and now WD for this week. T39. Massive disappointment.

Xander Schauffele (+2500): Loved him more before he was drawn with Woods and the circus that goes along with that for 36 holes. T10 as his legend in majors continues to grow.

Max Homa (+2800): Just go play, man. Top 20 and skinny top 10. Tried to run down Day for worst round on Sunday with 78. Dropped him to T43.

Cameron Young (+3300): 77-77 last year was last year. Smoking form. You’ll have a decision to make here. T7 as he opened with 67 and closed with 68. Proper.

Sungjae Im (+3300): Quick study here including T8 last year. First made cut in April. Magnificent 67 in Round 3 thru him back into the mix. T16.

Top 10/Top 20/Top 40

Shane Lowry (+5000): Fairway finder and great putter. Love that combo. T16.

Tommy Fleetwood (+6600): Trending here. Best was last year. Check HFC. 33rd. If I mention Fleetwood in the USA, run the other direction. I’m tired of warning you and typing this.

Sahith Theegala (+12500): Hit every green and see what happens. T9.

Seamus Power (+15000): Let’s get breeeeeezzzzzzyyyyy. T46.

Longer Shots

Use ’em wherever you see fit! All players listed are +20000 or worse and are for a reason or two!

Cameron Champ (+25000): Never finished outside the top 30 in 3 visits. Streak ended, MC.

Sepp Straka (+30000): Strike them balls. T46.

Gordon Sargent (+35000): First special invite amateur since 2000? Is that right? Go on, NCAA champ! WRONG AMATEUR! Sam Bennett cashed T16.

OAD Pick/Recap

Last Week – 87th Masters

MY CHOICE: Jordan Spieth – T4 ($744,000)

Made a run on Sunday to hit the top five but another bad tee shot on 18 cost me a few hundred thousand! Too many lazy irons, which resulted in penalty shots, killed his chances to win. It’s now six finishes inside the top five career, though.

OWGR Top 10 last week:

Player	Finish
01 Scottie Scheffler	T10
02 Rory McIlroy	mc
03 Jon Rahm	WIN
04 Patrick Cantlay	T14
05 Cam Smith	T34
06 Max Homa	T46
07 Xander Schauffele	T10
08 Will Zalatoris	wd
09 Viktor Hovland	T7
10 Sam Burns	T29

2023 Spotter’s Game

Already Burned

Sungjae Im – Maui

Tom Kim – Sony

Tom Hoge – AMEX

Viktor Hovland – Pebble

Xander Schauffele – WMPO

Max Homa – Riviera

Shane Lowry – Honda

Tyrrell Hatton – API

Akshay Bhatia – PRO

Jason Day – THE PLAYERS

Justin Rose – Valspar

Cam Percy – Corales

Scottie Scheffler – WGC MP

Rickie Fowler – Valero

Jordan Spieth – Masters

This Week – 55th RBC Heritage

MY CHOICE: Collin Morikawa

If this week is target golf he doesn’t miss many. Throw in greens that aren’t difficult to putt and we have a match made in heaven.

I think.

Others to consider: Matt Kuchar, Shane Lowry, Patrick Cantlay