RSM Classic Tips & Preview: Course Guide & TV

The curtain comes down on the main 2021 schedule on the PGA Tour this weekend and the RSM Classic is a fine way to end the show. Played over the two tracks as usual in Sea Island we have the Seaside and Plantation courses. The easier of the two (Plantation) is used for one round whilst the tricker Seaside track makes up the remaining three. Plenty are based here or have practised here at some point and there are usually a handful of those towards the top of the leaderboard come the final few days. Not one particular aspect of the game stands out here at Sea Island but it usually takes a neat and tidy game to contend with the wind off the coast. Distance is never usually a huge asset to have here, instead keeping it in play with a sharp short game will be enough to keep tabs on the top. A nod to performance at other coastal tracks is another angle to consider before placing our bets.

Russell Henley at 30/1 (8 places)

There is one standout selection for me this week and it's Russell Henley. Henley is winless since 2017 remarkably despite producing some sparkling golf over large periods of time throughout the past four years or so. Lately, his approach play has been on fire finishing 1-2-19 in that department in each of his last three starts. His around the green work has been solid also which is important around the Seaside track. There are not many players in the world hitting the ball better than Henley and last week saw his best week on the greens since his 3rd place finish at the Honda back in March this year. The flat stick often causes a problem but I'm hoping he found something last week ranking 12th in the field. He has twice finished inside the top 6 here in seven efforts and looks primed for a winning effort sooner rather than later. It's also worth noting in the past 5 years here we have had two wire-to-wire winners and the round one position of the other three were 3rd, 5th and 8th. All five held the second-round lead. Henley held the second-round lead here back in 2014 and in his last 11 Thursdays on the tour, he has managed three first-round leads with four other top 15 finishes. He is a fast starter and it seems like you need it around here. The Sony Open win is another boost to his chances and this is one of the tastier prices I've seen in a while. I'd have him closer to the 16/1 mark.

3.5pts each-way R.Henley  30/1  (1/5 8)

Joel Dahmen at 60/1 (7 places)

Joel Dahmen broke his duck earlier in the year by winning in Punta Cana with some challenging wind conditions to contend with. I wouldn't rule out his next win being on a coastal track and after a fine display in Houston last week he can be expected to go well here again. He ranked 5th in approach play last week and didn't do an awful lot wrong in defeat. His putter often lets him down but he has started off this new season in better form with the flat stick and if he can keep it lukewarm this week he should play his part. It is worth noting that outside of his victory, his two next best performances have come at Quail Hollow (runner up) and Riviera (5th). Tom Fazio redesigned this Seaside track in the late 90s but also had a hand in the redesigns of Riviera and Quail Hollow. From 50-66/1, he looks a decent prospect.

1.5pts each-way J.Dahmen  60/1  (1/5 7)

Henrik Norlander at 100/1 (8 places)

This is a home game for Henrik Norlander and it shows with a runner up and 5th place finish in the past couple of years here. The Swede is yet to break through but produced his best performance to date earlier in the year in a deep field finishing 2nd Torrey Pines. A top 10 at the Sony is another positive at a seaside track. It is worth noting that he can pop up at any moment given his 4th place last year at the Sanderson came off the back of three missed cuts. Lately has been positive enough though finishing inside the top at the Zozo, then two made cuts but moderate finishes in Mexico and last week in Houston. He saves his best performances for Sea Island and the 100/1 is enough of a price to nibble at.

0.75pt each-way H.Norlander  100/1  (1/5 8)

Chez Reavie at 125/1 (7 places)

Corey Conners has the profile here to go well but after six weeks off looks like a risky play around the 25/1 mark. This course rewards accuracy and Chez Reavie looks interesting at triple figures. His approach play has been pretty good this season to date but the nightmares are happening on the greens. That can turn in a flash though and that's why these triple-figure plays are often interesting. Like Henley, he is another decent early starter and can hopefully place high enough hereafter round one. He certainly didn't putt as badly last week as he has been doing but this track should suit his long game better. 3rd at the Sony, 2nd at the Pebble Pro-Am and 3rd at the US Open at Pebble is enough evidence to show he can go well by the coast. 

0.75pt each-way C.Reavie  125/1  (1/5 7)

Dough Ghim at 125/1 (8 places)

Around similar odds, Dough Ghim is another worth chancing. He is another accuracy dog who I hope can get something going with the putter. The putter was in good shape at the Shriners the last event he played we have the stats for and with another decent finish in Mexico (27th) I'm hoping it stayed that way there. He is yet to prove himself in the heat of battle but the RSM is one of those places where the underdog counts with three first time winners in the past five years. Ghim already has a top 20 here finishing with a final round of 64 last year to finish 18th. He has the talent to win on the tour and a venue like this is one of the likelier opportunities. 

0.75pt each-way D.Ghim  125/1  (1/5 8)

Luke Donald at 300/1 (8 places)

I'm prepared to take a flyer on Luke Donald this week around the 300/1 mark. Granted this is one that is highly unlikely to pay off but I feel if there's any life in the old dog yet it'll be on a shorter course where he can get hot with the putter. A seaside track suits Donald as we've seen with his excellent record at Harbour Town. Four starts ago he wasn't disgraced finishing 27th in the Dunhill Links finishing 4th in approach play. He followed that with a 53rd placed finish in Spain shooting 69-70-69-69. 46th in Bermuda followed having been inside the top 25 after three rounds there. In Mexico, he missed cut by two shots following up a poor first round of 75 with a 67. It may not read so pretty in results but it's better than he has been doing with four missed cuts on the trot on the lead into Scotland. The former world number one may have some decent golf in him yet and although it's difficult to envisage him putting all four rounds together here he may just have enough to threaten a place.

0.5pt each-way L.Donald  300/1  (1/5 8)