Weekly PGA Preview: RBC Heritage Preview

The Masters has always been my favorite major, for many reasons. It signals the beginning of spring, which happens to be my favorite season, the golfers seem to want a green jacket more than any other trophy, which adds more excitement, and perhaps above all, Augusta National is simply the greatest course on the planet.

Every major has its niche, but the Masters has always had the best of both worlds. The U.S. Open is often too difficult, making it a contest of survival rather than shot-making. The Open Championship is often too quirky, bringing luck into the equation too often. The PGA Championship, well I'm not sure the PGA Championship has ever really carved out a niche. It's often a great test, but the timing, at the end of the season, has always been hard to get behind. The Masters has always carried the best balance of risk-reward. The back nine at Augusta is there for the taking -- if you make your shots, but if you slip up just a bit, you are toast.

Until the 2015 Masters.

Jordan Spieth tied the all-time Masters scoring record last week, but with all due respect, he did it on a course that was utterly defenseless. This is not a knock on Spieth, he was magnificent. He was in total control the entire way and accomplished at Augusta what so many before him couldn't do on a regular tour stop -- win with a lead. But there's a legitimate problem at Augusta, one that needs to be addressed. Yes, I realize the greens were soft due to rain and the wind was down most of the week, but that never stopped the USGA from making an Open track difficult. I'm not in favor turning Augusta National into a U.S. Open track, but more risk in that risk-reward equation would be nice. I'm no greens keeper, I'm not sure what goes into a course set-up, but I am sure that there is something Augusta National can do to make things a little more interesting next year -- there has to be, otherwise I might have to look for a new favorite major.

This week: RBC Heritage - Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head, S.C.

Last Year: Matt Kuchar shot a final-round 64 on his way to a one-stroke victory over Luke Donald.

PLAYERS TO CONSIDER

Luke Donald

One-and-done formats are all about value, and no one has more value than Donald this week. He hasn't played all that well this year, but that's never stopped him from playing well at this event. Donald has finished in the top 3 here five of the last six years. There will no better place to use him this year.

Jordan Spieth

Under other circumstances, Spieth would be the easy No. 1 pick this week, but there are a couple things to consider. First, he just won the Masters, kind of a big deal. He's obviously mentally strong, but can he keep his focus this week? Second, if you haven't used Spieth already, you are probably best served waiting for one of the final three majors this year.

Rory Sabbatini

Luke Donald is a bit of a sleeper this week, but if you want to go way off the radar, you could give Rory Sabbatini a try. His record at this event is outstanding, and while he's not the most trustworthy player, he's pretty reliable at Harbour Town. Sabbatini is on a run of five consecutive top-20s here.

Charley Hoffman

Hoffman played very well last week at Augusta. He faded down the stretch, but give him credit for hanging in as long as he did. His track record here is solid as well, as he's recorded two top-10s in his last three tries. As long as he sees last week as a positive experience, he should be fine this week.

Zach Johnson

Johnson's history here is a bit scattered, but if you saw him last Sunday, you know he's locked in. Johnson's record here isn't all bad, either -- runner-up in 2012, top 10 in 2007.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

Boo Weekley

Weekley has a lot of history here, including back-to-back wins in 2007 and 2008, but he's struggled for the most part the last four years. He made the cut each of the last four years, but his play on the weekend has left a lot to be desired.

Matt Kuchar

Kuchar is the defending champion, but his record at this event outside that one win is pretty weak. Add to that his play this season, which has been lackluster, and it adds up to a pass on Kuchar this week.

Brandt Snedeker

Snedeker won this event in 2011, but otherwise his time here is filled with missed cuts and poor weekend performances. His recent play is a bit concerning as he can't seem to sustain any momentum from week to week.

Johnson Wagner

Wagner played very well two weeks ago in Houston, but he's always been a guy who plays well in certain spots, Houston being one. Harbour Town is not one of his spots, and as such, he's not a good play this week -- even though he's coming in with some momentum.

Bill Haas

With only a few high-profile guys in the field this week, Haas looks like a tempting pick, but he's never fared well at this event. His best finish at this event was a T24 in 2013.

ONE AND DONE GOLFER

Last week: Rory McIlroy (4) - $0; Season - $1,800,661

This week: Luke Donald - As mentioned, there aren't many, if any, other spots where Donald will be a good play, but this certainly looks like one. No matter the state of his game, Donald has always found a way to play well at this event.

YAHOO PICKS

Points: 2,152
Rank: 21,922

This Week:

Group A: Luke Donald, Jim Furyk

Group B: Kevin Streelman, Zach Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Graeme McDowell

Group C: Charley Hoffman, Patrick Reed

SURVIVOR PICK

Last week: Rory McIlroy (4); Streak - 5

This week: Luke Donald - My first inclination was to go with Sabbatini here, as anytime you can find a lower-tier guy to use in a survivor pool, you are gaining on the field. But Donald is the safer play, and it's not like you'll want to use him in this format anywhere else this year.