Location: Sea Island Resort in Sea Island, GA
Courses: Seaside Course (Par 70 7,005 Yardage)
Plantation Course: (Par 72: 7,060 Yardage)
~Preview~
The RSM Classic is typically light on “top tier” talent, but this year’s field is the strongest yet in the tournament’s 10-year history. There will be 17 top 50 players in the field this year, improving on 11 from last year. On the first 2 days (qualifying rounds), players will play alternating rounds on the Plantation and Seaside course. Then after the cut, the final 2 rounds will be played on the more difficult Seaside course.
When it comes to projecting a winner for this event, the stats that are going to be most helpful are accuracy off the tee and accuracy with approach shots. So the great stats to look at this week will be driving accuracy and strokes gained “tee to green”.
There are hazards and danger everywhere on this seaside course, as well as some very strategic bunkers placed in the landing zones on the Plantations course. This favors the more accurate driver’s over the power hitters. Also, out of the 10 winners of this tournament, 5 of them have been first time winners on the PGA Tour. It would be smart to sprinkle some money on a dark horse with 0 PGA tour wins if history is anything to go on. Below I will give you 5 golfers I like to be in contention this week.
~Predictions~
Webb Simpson
He has 3 top 5 finishes in this tournament. He lost in a playoff last year while taking 3rd in 2018, and another runner up finish in 2011. He is coming off a very good final round and top 10 finish at the masters, so look for him to build on that Sunday momentum this week. He is also one of the most accurate golfers in the field hitting 67% of fairways last year. While also finishing top 15 in average distance to the hole on approach and total greens in regulation. Webb is also among the best putters in this field making him the total package for this course. He will most likely be the favorite this week and with good reason.
Harold Varner III
Here is one of my picks for a first-time winner on the PGA Tour. While not the most accurate driver in the field, he hits it well enough landing 62% of the fairways in 2020, to make him competitive in this tournament. He also has the 2nd highest percentage of green hits out of anyone else in the field… Trailing only the tournament favorite Simpson. Along with that Varner was top 20 in strokes gained tee to green, and strokes gained off the tee. If Varner’s putter can get hot, I like him a lot to be in contention here.
Tommy Fleetwood
Tommy is coming off of a solid showing at The Masters with a top 20 finish. Somewhat surprisingly, Fleetwood is still chasing that elusive first PGA win. While he doesn’t have a win, he has only missed 3 cuts in his last 48 events: with 13 top 10 finishes. He is a great bet to be in contention come the weekend. He is one of the top players in the field with strokes gained of the tee. He was also top 50 in strokes gained when approaching the green. Like with Varner if Fleetwood’s putter shows up he should be in contention.
Tyrrell Hatton
Coming off an absolute terrible showing at the masters for a top 10 ranked golfer. I expect a bounce back for the 9th ranked Hatton. In 2020 Hatton Finished in the top 15 in stokes gained tee to green, Top 5 in stokes gained approaching the green and top 40 in strokes gained putting. As I said with Simpson, he is elite in 3 areas that are most important in scoring well at Sea Island. I envision a very good weekend for Hatton and anything outside a top 10 finish would be a disappointment.
Keegan Bradley
Bradley did not play in The Masters this time around, so he is coming in fresh. He has been around a long time with 4 PGA wins as well as a Major win. Keegan, as well as the others I have chosen, ranks well in key areas that should lead to success at Sea Island. He was within the top 50 last year in stokes gained tee to green (off the tee and on the approach as well). He also ranked in the top 50 for greens in regulation, hitting 70% of greens. While Keegan Bradley relatively accurate with getting the ball to the green he falls outside the top 100 when it comes to proximity on approach shots. He will need to be better than that this weekend to be a factor.