Weekly Preview: RBC Heritage

RBC Heritage

Harbour Town Golf Links
Hilton Head, SC

The PGA Tour heads to Hilton Head for the latest designated event -- the RBC Heritage. 

Normally, the week after a major is a bit of a buzzkill, as players are coming off an intense few days and the field winds up a bit depleted. However, thanks to the addition of the "elevated events," we get quite the post-Masters bonus.

Before we get to that, I have to make mention of Jon Rahm and his second major championship. It's official, Rahm is the best player on the planet...until Rory McIlroy goes on a run two months from now. After that, perhaps it will be Scottie Scheffler's turn again. The point is, it doesn't matter who the best is -- all three golfers in consideration stake a claim atop the mountain from time to time, only to be knocked off a week later. Scheffler has one major with many more to come, Rahm has two with more to come, and McIlroy has four with...well, let's wait and see on that one. Perhaps Rory has more in store, or maybe this major slump continues to mess with him for the rest of his career. One thing is certain -- when McIlroy is a favorite at the Masters it does not end well. I've never been one to worry about who is "No. 1 in the world," and I doubt these guys care all that much at this point. Once you get there, you can check the box. It's all about winning majors now, and we've got a look to look forward to with these three guys in the coming years.

All odds via FanDuel Sportsbook as of 12:00 PM ET Tuesday.

LAST YEAR

Jordan Spieth shot a final-round 66 on his way to a playoff victory over Patrick Cantlay.

FAVORITES

Scottie Scheffler (17-2)

So, what's the deal with Scheffler? Is he about to go on an extended hiatus like this past season? I don't think that's the case, but his putter is becoming a bit of a concern. It started when he missed a short putt to win his Match Play semifinal against Sam Burns and it continued this past week at Augusta. He's simply too good to let this linger too long, so I don't expect it to become an issue. For now, though, it does make me hesitate a bit on a win ticket.

Jon Rahm (17-2)

It seems odd that a guy who is considered the best in the world and just ran away with a major isn't the favorite, but we have to step back and realize these guys are human. Winning the Masters was a huge feat for Rahm, and although he's extremely competitive, he will likely have a tough time zeroing in on this event right away. If he can hang in there to start, he should be fine, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him struggle out of the gate.

Patrick Cantlay (11-1)

Cantlay is the guy who appears to have everything working in his favor. Unlike Scheffler and Rahm, Cantlay has quite the track record here, which includes two third-place finishes and one runner-up. He has failed to record a top-10 just once in five starts. Cantlay's form is solid, as he hung around at the Masters for most of the weekend and was just a fraction off, which prevented him from seriously threatening Rahm. Of the three favorites, Cantlay has the most value.

THE NEXT TIER

Cameron Young (20-1)

Young is going to win and he's going to do it soon. Will it be this week? Well, we've seen his improved play with the new caddie, and if he had more course knowledge at Augusta, he'd probably have finished top-3, so yeah, he could wind up in the winner's cirlce. Young played very well here this past year, finishing T3. I'm sure some of the big names in the field will have a bit of a major hangover, but Young shouldn't be one of them.

Viktor Hovland (25-1)

Hovland caught all the early attention at the Masters, but he could not finish in style. With that said, it's clear that his game is where it needs to be in order to win another PGA Tour event. Hovland might be lamenting the missed opportunity this past week, but he wasn't all that close in the end, so I'm sure he's ready to move on. Hovland has just one start here, which resulted in a T21 in 2020.

Shane Lowry (29-1)

Lowry was just off the first page for much of last week, which indicates his game is in good shape. Plus, he's returning to a spot where he has had a lot of success. Lowry often flies under the radar during regular PGA Tour stops, but he deserves a long look this week because of his form and his history. Lowry has three top-10s -- including two top-3s -- in five starts here.

LONG SHOTS

Matt Kuchar (45-1)

Kuchar made a serious run just two weeks ago and now gets a crack at what has historically been his best event. Does he still have enough to win on the PGA Tour, against a field like this? That I can't say, but if he's going to do it anywhere, it's going to be here. Kuchar has made the cut here in 18 of 19 starts and has seven top-10s.

J.T. Poston (55-1)

When you look at Poston's play over the past year and his track record at Harbour Town, it makes you wonder why he checks in with these odds. However, when you factor in the strength of the field, it makes more sense. Poston has played really well here in his four starts, with three top-10s. It will be tough to wind up on top of this field, but you're getting a great price.

ONE-AND-DONE LEAGUES

Highly-owned Pick: Patrick Cantlay - This is an obvious pick for anyone that's near the lead in their OAD league. He's got the form and the track record here, and there's no reason to think he will play poorly. He's going to be very popular, though, so if you need someone else, the next guy on the list should interest you.

Moderately-owned Pick: Shane Lowry - I debated whether to put Lowry or Young in this spot, but I landed on Lowry because of his track record, and we know that OAD players are big fans of that. Lowry looks to be in a good spot, as his game is in good shape and his history here is very impressive. There will be plenty of people on him too, though, so look below if you want to gain some ground.             

Lightly-owned Pick: Matt Kuchar - Kuchar has the track record and the form, so why might he not be chosen by many? Well, both the stakes and the field. Most OAD players won't go this far down the list in an elevated event, so if you choose Kuchar and he plays well, you are going to make up some space.

Buyer Beware: Justin Thomas - My only concern with putting Thomas in this spot is that he seems to be getting a lot of attention for his struggles, and that can sometimes motivate a golfer. Thomas is aware that he has not played up to his standards recently, and I'm sure he's doing everything he can to get right. That is often not a quick process, though, so it's best to wait on him for now.

This Week: Cameron Young - The three top picks in my mind are Young, Lowry and Cantlay. I used Lowry already, and while I think Cantlay is a great pick, I don't want to get caught in the pack. As such, I'm siding with Young. He just has that look right now, like he's going to break through, and I think it could happen at Harbour Town.

Previous Results

FANDUEL PICKS

Upper Range: Patrick Cantlay ($11,500)
Middle Range: Cameron Young ($10,800)
Lower Range: J.T. Poston ($8,900)

SURVIVOR LEAGUES

This Week: Cameron Young - While he doesn't have the experience I normally require for my picks in this format, Young is on a roll right now and I can't imagine he does anything but play well again. He got the job done in his only start here, and like I usually point out in these situations, he's a better player than he was 12 months ago.

Previous Results