The final official PGA Tour event of 2015 takes place this week as the RSM Classic, formerly McGladrey Classic, is played out in Georgia.
This tournament has undergone a bit of a makeover this year and a second course has come into the event which has allowed the field to be extended to 156 players so whoever wins this week will have had to have played some really good golf.
Robert Streb putted his way to victory in this tournament 12 months ago and he is back for more this week. The American is 40/1 with Bet365 to keep hold of the title at the end of the week.
The Plantation Course at Sea Island has joined the Seaside Course in staging this tournament. Each player plays each course once over the first two days before those who make the cut finish the event on the Seaside for the final two rounds.
The Plantation Course is a par 72 which measures just 7,058 yards. Although we’ve not seen the course in competitive play it appears to have wide fairways and is likely to be the putting contest that the Seaside Course is.
Seaside is a par 70 which trails 7,005 yards. A huge number of greens in regulation were hit here last year due to the size of the greens and the size of those greens makes putting a huge requirement this week. Unlike earlier in the season bad putters won’t win around here.
Zach Johnson has a home game this week and as such he is the 14/1 favourite to win the event. Justin Thomas is next at 18/1 while Matt Kuchar is 20/1. Kevin Kisner is 22/1 to win this week while last week’s winner Graeme McDowell is a 28/1 shot.
With putting so crucial this week I have to take the man who I believe is in the top three putters in the game right now in Russell Henley. Henley has been high up in the strokes gained putting statistic for a while and with that it is no surprise that he was in the top five here last year.
He arrives here in good nick having finished in the top 10 in Las Vegas in his last start and with the ease of this course from tee to green it really does suit the former Honda Classic champion. Henley’s gone well here before and he has the profile to get it done around this course so he’s a pretty obvious first pick.
I’ve been waiting all season to back Patton Kizzire and here seems to be a perfect chance with this being a home game for the Web.com Tour money leader from last season.
Kizzire has already begun the season with a couple of top fives and he currently sits in the top 10 in strokes gained putting this year and when you think there has been some tricky greens to putt on already this campaign that is no mean stat. Kizzire will win PGA Tour events of that I’m sure and this looks like a good chance to start his trophy collecting.
Brendon de Jonge is a birdie machine at the best of times and that is no bad thing in this event. Amazingly he is fourth in all-time earnings around here and nobody has won more money than him without winning here.
De Jonge lost in a playoff last year so he’s got good form around this track. De Jonge sits 13th in strokes gained with the putter for the season and went pretty well in Las Vegas. The courses got too long for him in the last two weeks but that won’t be the case this week so the Zimbabwean has to be a live runner.
Another man enjoying a home game this week is Brian Harman and I think the left hander can go well here. Not many will have played the Plantation Course before and certainly not as much as Harman so that is a significant advantage to have.
Harman can be a birdie machine on the right day and that will be crucial this week. With his knowledge of both courses he looks a danger this week. He has been in the top 10 in the past in this tournament and having challenged a few times since then I fancy he might go even better this week.
Back R.Henley to win RSM Classic (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 31.00 with Bet365 (1/4 1-5)
Back P.Kizzire to win RSM Classic (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 34.00 with Ladbrokes (1/4 1-5)
Back B.de Jonge to win RSM Classic (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 51.00 with Paddy Power (1/5 1-7)
Back B.Harman to win RSM Classic (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 51.00 with Boylesports (1/4 1-5)
Blog golf YTD: +171.96pts
Extremely frustrated by Russel Henley as I’m sure you are to Kev. Shoots a 65 on a course he managed to make a mess of on Friday. One birdie over the last three holes would have saved the day.
Yep very annoying mate but I’ve had a decent run recently so can’t moan too much.