RSM CLASSIC: There’s a little slice of heaven tucked away in the coastal marshlands of south Georgia, and this week it takes center stage as the PGA Tour comes to town for the RSM Classic. Sea Island is the place in question, and if you’ve never been I highly suggest you rectify that as soon as possible. The stunning resort features two courses, Seaside and Plantation, and both will be used on Thursday and Friday before all the action moves to Seaside for the final two rounds.
This is only the seventh edition of this tournament and it takes place in what has traditionally been the heart of the offseason, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that some of the bigger names on Tour have decided to stay home. Of course, several guys in the field– Matt Kuchar, Zach Johnson, and Harris English among them– reside in Sea Island year-round, so they don’t have to choose between family and work. The “Sea Island Mafia”, as they’re known, now includes over a dozen players (and many more on second-tier tours), giving this tournament a unique down-home feel.
Both the Seaside and Plantation courses are relatively short, with each measuring just over 7,000 yards, so length off the tee isn’t a requirement this week. The wind can howl, though, especially at Seaside, which is considerably more exposed than the tree-lined Plantation (maybe “tree-lined” is a little strong, but Plantation is definitely more of a traditional, parkland-style course). Firm, fast Bermuda greens will keep things interesting, and great short-iron play is a must. Defending champion Kevin Kisner has a game ideally suited for this tournament, so if you’re not going to back him– which is understandable, considering his recent form– I’d strongly consider backing someone who is similar stylistically. Five of the past six stagings have been won by Southern boys.
With that in mind, here are this week’s selections:
WIN MARKET
Recommendations to BACK (odds in parenthesis)
Russell Henley (32.0)- Henley checks just about all the boxes this week: he’s a Georgia native who played collegiately at UGA, so his competitive experience at Sea Island stretches all the way back to college (the SEC Men’s Golf Championship is held at the Seaside course). Since turning professional he’s put that experience to good use, finishing 6th in this event last year and 4th in 2014. And he’s playing well at the moment, with back-to-back top-25 finishes in his last two starts. So… what’s not to like? At better than 30/1, Henley is a blue-chip option this week.
Kevin Streelman (47.0)- Streelman is one of the most underrated players on Tour, and his game certainly appears to be in good shape after a T4 at the OHL Classic last week. His history at Sea Island is a bit spotty but he did finish 6th in this event back in 2011, so he knows his way around the course. He’s a bit streaky with the putter, and that will probably determine whether or not he contends this week– if he gets some confidence with the flat stick, look out. Considering he just shot 64-65 over the weekend in Mayakoba and made just about everything he looked at, I’m willing to take my chances.
Patton Kizzire (80.0)- A proud member of the Sea Island Mafia, Kizzire has definitely made his mark since earning his Tour card a year ago, racking up six top-10s in 2016 and finishing runner-up at the Safeway Open last month. An Alabama native who has lived in the Southeast his entire life, Kizzire plays his best golf on Bermuda grass, and since relocating to Sea Island in late 2015 he’s played hundreds of rounds at this week’s venue. Missed cuts in his last two starts have driven his price up, and it’s now reached the point where he should be snapped up enthusiastically. Remember: he nearly won just a month ago. His game isn’t that far off.
TOURNAMENT MATCH BETS
Chris Kirk (1.86) vs. Matt Kuchar (1.86)
Kuchar is a rock in this event, finding the top-25 in all five of his appearances. He’s only landed one top-10, though, and he missed the cut in last month’s Safeway Open, which was his last PGA Tour start. Kirk, meanwhile, has been spectacular over the past few weeks, logging three top-10s in his last four tournaments, and he’s recorded back-to-back top-20 finishes in this event since his win in 2013. Recommendation: Kirk at 1.86
Brandt Snedeker (1.86) vs. Kevin Chappell (1.86)
Snedeker hasn’t played much lately but when he has it’s been quite impressive, as he won in Fiji and picked up a top-25 at the Bridgestone. His history in this event is rather poor, however, while Chappell has been a cash register at Sea Island, finishing runner-up last year and 8th in 2014. Snedeker has a bigger reputation, but he’s the underdog in this matchup. Recommendation: Chappell at 1.86
