Credit: THE SUNTHIS week’s RBC Heritage throws up the annual dilemma – whether to side with possibly weary-legged Masters competitors, or the players coming in fresh after missing Augusta?
Actually, the choice of who to side with at the iconic Hilton Head course is not as difficult as it seems.
The Augusta also-rans have dominated this event in recent years – and Scottie Scheffler actually did the Augusta-Hilton Head double a couple of years ago.
Scheffler is obviously the man to beat, after his storming finish to end the Masters breathing down Rory McIlroy’s neck – especially with Rory taking a couple of weeks off to enjoy that triumph.
Scheffler was 12 shots adrift at halfway after a couple of mediocre opening rounds, but ultimately he was just one shot short of forcing a play-off.
That was easily his best performance since his only win so far this year, at the Amex in January – has it REALLY been three months without a victory? – and even at 4/1 I would not put anyone off the world No 1.
But for those looking for longer odds, let’s take a look at the standout options.
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Hilton Head is another place where course form is invaluable, and there are plenty of likely lads to choose from.
The one that interest me most is former Open champion Brian Harman, who finished tied third here last year – the latest in a series of big paydays at the Heritage.
He played a lot better at Augusta than his finishing position of T33 might suggest. Harman played his first round when the course had dried out and was playing at its toughest, and he toiled to an ugly 79.
But he bounced back well to play the next three rounds in seven under par, and at 66/1, he looks one to be on.
Matt Fitzpatrick started slowly at Augusta as well, with a two over par 74.
But he also shrugged that off to finish in the top twenty. Considering he was runner-up at The Players and won the Valspar before the Masters, a 12/1 quote looks good value.
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Ryder Cup anti-hero Patrick Cantlay and his regular partner in crime, Xander Schauffele, also seem to be running into form nicely.
Schauffele is especially interesting at 14/1. He looked as if he had still not recovered fully from a long-running rib problem when he shot 81 in the final round of the Players, and I put my own health warning on him.
But he responded by finishing eighth and twelfth in his next two outings – and another top ten at Augusta suggests he is attractively priced for a double Major champion.
Slowcoach Cantlay will never win many friends – and he does not appear to want many – but there are also a few good reasons to support him at 22/1.
He boasts a play-off defeat and four more top threes in this event. And rounds of 66-67 on Friday and Saturday at Augusta offer further encouragement.
And it is always difficult to leave Jordan Spieth out of the calculations here, even if he seems to be a shadow of the player who was winning Majors for fun ten years ago.
He won here in 2022, and lost out in a play-off the following year. Four top 12 finishes in his last six starts – including the Masters – suggest there is still some game there. So a small each way interests at 30/1 could prove rewarding.
Andrew Novak, beaten in a play-off by Justin Thomas here last year, could also be over-priced at 150/1. The same does not apply to Thomas, who is too short for me, even at 50/1.
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Eze Chidiebere Paul
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