Scottie Scheffler is pegged as a solid favourite again this week as he moves on from his Masters victory, but are there other strong options on the golf betting board?
The RBC Heritage makes its annual PGA Tour event in Hilton Head, S.C., as player- and family-friendly as possible, and it’s a strong field this week considering the event follows the Masters. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who won a second green jacket on Sunday, is the +400 favourite on the golf odds.
I suppose we could say every PGA Tour event outside of the majors is watered-down until that organization merges with LIV if that ever happens and we can see the likes of Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau, among others, compete against the best of the best instead of in unusual locales all around the world with those silly 54-hole tournaments. We won’t see the LIV guys compete against PGA Tour guys again until next month’s PGA Championship in Louisville.
Scheffler Tops PGA Tour Betting Odds
Guys like Scheffler probably wouldn’t be playing the week after Augusta if not for the RBC Heritage being a Signature Event, which means a smaller field of about 70 players, no cut and purse of $20 million (U.S.). Signature Events are one way the PGA Tour is trying to stop guys from defecting for LIV. One big-name guy has withdrawn, though, in Viktor Hovland after he missed the Masters cut. Hideki Matsuyama was the only eligible player who did not commit to the RBC Heritage.
It’s the 56th year of the RBC Heritage and played again at the picturesque Harbour Town Golf Links, a par 71 at approximately 7,210 yards located about 145 miles southeast of August National. Hole No. 18 with the course’s famous red-and-white lighthouse flush against the Calibogue Sound is one of the most scenic settings on the PGA Tour. The Royal Bank of Canada has been the title sponsor since 2012 and the winner gets a Tartan jacket. Two of the last three winners at Harbour Town were first in Strokes Gained: Tee-to Green, meaning it’s a ball-strikers’ course.
The defending champion is Matt Fitzpatrick, only the second time an Englishman won the event after Nick Faldo in 1984. Americans have won here the vast majority of time. Fitzpatrick and 2022 champion Jordan Spieth finished 72 holes last year at 17-under 267, and Fitpatrick beat Spieth on the third playoff hole. Fitzpatrick hit 9-iron to within on foot on the famed lighthouse hole. It’s a course that he played as a child on vacation. Fitzpatrick trailed Spieth by two with five holes to play, but made birdies on the 15th and 16th holes to tie for the lead at 17-under. It was Fitzpatrick’s first PGA Tour win since the 2022 U.S. Open, and he hasn’t added No. 3 yet.
Spieth thought he won on the first playoff hole by sinking a 12-foot birdie putt to the point he raised his arms in triumph, but it caught the right edge and spun out. Spieth had a 9-foot birdie putt on the next playoff hole to win again but came up just short. He had to make a 26-footer on the third playoff hole to put any pressure on Fitzpatrick but missed. Last year was the second in a row this was decided in a playoff with Spieth beating Patrick Cantlay in 2022.
The RBC Heritage Golf Odds
We are getting to the point where world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (+400) is starting to resemble Tiger Woods in his prime as Scheffler won his second Masters title in three years on Sunday. In his past four events, Scheffler now has three wins and a runner-up – and that second-place finish came a couple of
weeks ago in Houston when Scheffler missed a fairly easy putt to force a playoff. That’s about the only thing the American has done wrong in 2024. He was 11th in his tournament debut here in 2023. Note that Scheffler’s wife, Meredith, is due to give birth to the couple’s first child any week now and if she goes into labour, Scheffler said he would be there and withdraw – he was prepared to leave the Masters if need be.
Xander Schauffele is +1100 with Ludvig Aberg and Rory McIlroy each +1200. Aberg made Scheffler sweat briefly Sunday at the Masters but ended up in second four shots back. It’s his debut here. I liked Schauffele to win the Masters, and he finished eighth. His best result in this tournament was last year’s fourth. McIlroy failed again in trying to complete the career grand slam at the Masters as he was T22. He hasn’t played here since a 41st-place finish in 2020.
Patrick Cantlay and Tommy Fleetwood are each +1800, and defending champion is Matt Fitzpatrick +2000. Cantlay comes off a T22 at Augusta and has five Top 7 finishes here in his past six trips but yet to win. He was third for the third time last year. Fleetwood was T3 at the Masters and has a best finish of 10th here. Fitzpatrick was T22 at Augusta and looks to become the first player since Boo Weekley in 2008 to repeat at Hilton Head.
No Canadian has won this tournament. Jim Nelford finished runner-up by two shots to Fuzzy Zoeller in 1983. Corey Conners was the top finisher last year at T31, with Adam Svensson and Nick Taylor both T41. Taylor Pendrith, Mackenzie Hughes and Adam Hadwin missed the cut. Conners is +4500 this week with Hadwin, Hughes and Taylor all +10000 and Svensson +20000.
RBC Heritage Golf Predictions: Cameron Young to win
Sure seems like a letdown spot for Scheffler so our best value play is Cameron Young at +2800 for his first Tour win. He comes off a T9 at the Masters, his second straight Top 10 in 2024, and was third here two years ago. I do like Patrick Cantlay for another Top 10.
