With the dust settling on another epic at Augusta, we turn our attention to the encore from South Carolina starting on Friday (AEDT), the annual RBC Heritage.
The tree-lined fairways and small greens of Harbour Town make this one of the more challenging courses on the PGA calendar each year, favouring those that have precision with the irons over long-bombers off the tee.
The last two Masters champions, Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm, headline the top of the market, while Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, and Viktor Hovland make up a field that features several of the world’s Top 30 players.
With enormous value on offer, find out who we’re tipping at this week’s RBC Heritage below!
RBC Heritage Best Bet
Patrick Cantlay – $11
Cantlay was my best bet last week at Augusta, and while he didn’t break through for that much-needed major championship, he still managed a Top 15 finish thanks to a sparkling third-round 68.
To be successful at Harbour Town, players need accuracy off the tee and a decent approach game – two areas Cantlay has covered.
The 31-year-old ranks Top 20 in driving accuracy and fourth in Greens in Regulation, while perhaps more importantly, he also knows this course like the back of his hand.
Of the 143 players attending this week, 11 have finished Top 10 at this venue in the past, and Cantlay owns four of them.
Since he’s still in search of his first win of the season, I’m happy to back him for the second week in a row.
RBC Heritage Best Value
Collin Morikawa – $17.00
A Top 10 finish at Augusta last week aside, Morikawa rates quite highly for a number of reasons.
Approach is a key metric on a course like Harbour Town, one that calls for consistent accuracy from the tee to the exceedingly small greens.
Losing it in the rough can also prove fatal with endless trees shaping every fairway.
Morikawa ranks Top 10 in Strokes Gained: Approach, and I also love the fact he has experience on this course.
The American has played it in each of the last three years, his most notable performance being a T7 back in 2021.
Justin Thomas – $23.00
After missing the cut at his first major last week, it’s no surprise to find JT at longer odds.
To be fair, I think the bad weather on day two hurt him immensely, and it certainly overshadowed a strong opening round where he finished 2-under.
Putting has been Thomas’ biggest challenge so far this year.
He’s struggled to make up strokes on the greens, but he should be well-suited to a course like Harbour Town that asks players to shape their shots and bring an above-average short game to the table.
Thomas was successful at TPC Sawgrass last year, a similar Pete Dye-designed course. If he can find some form with the putter and use last week’s missed cut as motivation, I think we’ll see him contending again.
RBC Heritage Best Roughies
Russell Henley – $41.00
The Chilean is one of several making the pilgrimage to Augusta after spending some time in LIV Golf.
It’s easy to forget Pereira actually led after 72 holes at the PGA Championship last year before fading out to a pair of disappointing results at both Open’s.
Even so, he was among the top five best when it came to finding greens in regulation before departing for LIV, while he’s also been a fairly accurate player off the tee with solid distance.
Like others, this is his first look at Augusta, but with a high ceiling, he’s a nice upside play.
Gary Woodland – $81
It’s been a long time in between drinks since Woodland last won the US Open at Pebble Beach back in 2019, but on the back of a Top 15 finish at Augusta, I’m happy to have something on this week.
Recent form aside, I’m also factoring in Ball Striking as a key metric this weekend alongside approach.
You mightn’t know it, but Woodland also ranks Top 20 on TOUR in that department so far, while I also think the small greens will play to his favour given he ranks just as strongly in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green.
Looking back, the four-time TOUR winner has failed to crack the Top 50 in two appearances at this event, but if he continues to strike his irons well, I think he’s a serious chance on a course that should really suit his game.