It’s the annual exhale following the Masters, but this year’s RBC Heritage presents its own hype. The tournament is celebrating its 50th edition this week. Thirty-three who competed at Augusta National Golf Club — three of whom recorded a top 10 and another six a top 25 — made the short trip to Harbour Town Golf Links along the Calibogue Sound that helps frame Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. For details on how the Pete Dye design should test the 132-man field, scroll beneath the ranking. POWER RANKINGS: RBC HERITAGE COMMENT PLAYER RANK The native of nearby Savannah, Georgia, recorded top 10s here in 2014 and 2017. Since last year’s T9, he’s added 11 top10s. He’s got no weaknesses as he’s dangerous throughout his bag. The recent runner-up at the Match Play lost in a playoff at Harbour Town in 2015. He also finished T11 last year after sitting T3 through 54 holes, and is eighth on TOUR in strokes gained: putting. It’s comical how well he’s performed at Harbour Town and still remains in pursuit of his first victory. Since 2009, he’s 9-for-9 with five seconds (one playoff loss), two thirds and a T15. His first appearance since 2009 allows him to test a newly refined approach game on a course where he can holster the driver. The world’s top-ranked talent leads TOUR in adjusted scoring. Perfect in all 14 appearances since 2004, he’s logged five top 10s, including the 2014 title. He’s no worse than T11 in the last four editions. Top 10s most recently in Austin and Houston. It’s remarkable how he’s adapted with his putter. He’s currently 10th on TOUR in strokes gained: putting and seventh in scrambling. A playoff victim here in 2013 and 7-for-7 since 2010. So much for the expectation to slide after Valspar win. He was eliminated from Match Play in pool-play playoff; T15 at Masters. Spot starts at Harbour Town include three top 25s from 2009-2014. He continues to impress on the biggest stages. Chased a T5 at the Match Play and the same at the Masters. He now has 11 top 20s in his last 14 starts worldwide. T15 here in 2015. He made it 5-for-5 at the Masters with a T12 punctuated by an ace at the par-3 16th on Sunday. He’s got top 20s in three of last five starts, and has a trio of top 15s at Harbour Town in eight visits. He’s 4-for-4 with no worse than a T18 at Harbour Town since 2014. Co-runner-up in 2016. Three top 20s in 2018. Inside the top 30 in both greens in regulation and proximity to the hole. Only has one top 25 (T9, 2013) in eight appearances, but is now a threat everywhere he commits. Four top 10s in 2018, including a solo ninth at the Masters where he was T4 in scrambling. He’s quietly crafting a solid season with six top 25s, including in each of his last five starts. Elevated ball-striking has yielded consistency, and top-shelf putting vaults him onto leaderboards. Failing to put four rounds together is shrouding his slots in GIR (46th), proximity (5th), scrambling (27th) and adjusted scoring (18th). The 2012 runner-up is 9-for-12 at Harbour Town. He finished T44 at the Masters as the last qualifier. The sometimer at Harbour Town posted top 20s in 2015 and 2017, and now has renewed confidence with his putter to match strong ball-striking. He’s comfortable at Harbour Town with three top 10s since 2014 and a scoring average of 69.44 in his last 16 rounds. His up-and-down 2017-18 features a T16 at the Valspar a month ago. Kevin Chappell, Jason Dufner, Brandt Snedeker and Luke List will be among the notables covered in Tuesday’s Fantasy Insider. Harbour Town is a third-shot track if there ever was one. The notion that greens averaging just 3,700 square feet demand precision on approach ignores the ease of salvaging par on a course where par has value. In benign conditions last year, the field averaged 70.676 on the par 36-35=71 measuring 7,099 yards. So, there’s no reason to panic after failing to find targets from the sky. Although the 2017 field averaged a little better than 11 greens in regulation per round, when it needed to scramble for par, it did so successfully nearly two-thirds of the time. En route to his breakthrough victory, Wesley Bryan authored a classic case for the opportunity that doesn’t discriminate against the extremes. Despite slotting just T55 in fairways hit and T66 in GIR, he carded four rounds in the 60s. He ranked seventh in proximity to the hole and led the field in scrambling. We should witness a mixed bag of (front-loaded) scoring this week. Primarily cooperative conditions are forecast through Saturday, albeit with intensifying winds of 10-15 mph by the third round. Come Sunday, the elevated risk of rain and storms will be accompanied by sustained winds flirting with and likely exceeding 20 mph. Therefore, experience, low ball flight and patience should connect the contenders for the tartan jacket. ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE PGATOUR.COM’s Fantasy Insider Rob Bolton covers numerous angles in between tournaments. Look for his following contributions this week. MONDAY: Rookie Ranking, Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Medical Extensions, Power Rankings TUESDAY*: Sleepers, Facebook Live, Fantasy Insider WEDNESDAY: One & Done THURSDAY: Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Champions One & Done * – Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO, which also publishes on Tuesdays.
Click here to read the full article…
