The last official tournament of the calendar year has the PGA Tour in St. Simons Island, Georgia for the RSM Classic. Fresh off his win last week in Houston, Tony Finau is the considerable favorite on the odds board as the highest ranked player in the field. Just a few months ago Finau went back-to-back claiming the 3M Open and Rocket Mortgage Classic titles giving him three wins in his last seven starts. The full field of up to 156 golfers will navigate two courses at Sea Island Resort over the first two rounds in order to accommodate everyone. Defending champ Talor Gooch isn’t in the field but last year’s runner-up and former RSM winner Mackenzie Hughes is, though positioned further down the odds board. Be sure to visit BookMaker.eu for a complete list of betting odds when you’re ready to place a wager.
Odds to Win The RSM Classic
Tony Finau +888
Brian Harman +1800
Keith Mitchell +2200
Jason Day +2400
Seamus Power +2750
Tom Hoge +2850
Taylor Montgomery +3430
Andrew Putnam +3451
Joel Dahmen +3706
Patrick Rodgers +4000
Brendon Todd +4250
Davis Riley +4250
Denny McCarthy +4450
Alex Smalley +4500
Mackenzie Hughes +4650
Matthew Nesmith +4650
Matt Kuchar +5050
Aaron Rai +5250
Justin Rose +5250
Wyndham Clark +5350
Webb Simpson +5750
Sahith Theegala +5750
Taylor Pendrith +5750
Harris English +5850
Kevin Kisner +6250
David Lipsky +6350
J.J. Spaun +6350
Chris Kirk +6850
J.T. Poston +7050
Hayden Buckley +7350
Nick Hardy +7750
Will Gordon +7850
Lee Hodges +8050
Troy Merritt +8050
Dean Burmester +8050
Odds Analysis
Mackenzie Hughes +4650
A run of strong form and positive results at Sea Island have Hughes looking good at his price. He broke the ice here in 2016 winning a five-man playoff for his first Tour victory and captured runner-up last year. It took a few years but Hughes got back in the win column at the Sanderson Farms Championship and has registered a top-25 in his other three starts. The Canadian is around the same price Gooch was last year giving some symmetry to this pick.
Kevin Kisner +6250
I’m hoping Kisner can find the magic that has him as the RSM’s all-time money leader. It’s been a tough go lately for him but how many times has a guy rebounded coming out of nowhere to win? Well, it kinda happened last week with Finau, who missed the cut in his first start of the season, and Kisner has been really good here with four top-10s in 11 starts, including a win in 2015 and a playoff loss a few years ago. I just find it hard to look away from him at this point.
Taylor Montgomery +3430
The RSM has produced a bunch of first-time winners and one player poised to continue that trend is Montgomery, who’s been sensational in his first season on Tour. There was a slight stumble last week, but cashing out five top-15s in his first five starts has gotten the attention of a lot of people, including me.
Aaron Rai +5250
A shorter course plays right into the strengths of Rai and he’s done just enough to become a serious contender at a nice price. We’ve seen Rai makes leaps when his short game is on doing it last year at Sea Island to earn a top-20 and last week in Houston leading the field in strokes gained: around the green to finish T7. Keeping up with that type of play will work handsomely at Sea Island making Rai a sleeper with a great payout.
Webb Simpson +5750
I’m guessing Simpson is excited to play Sea Island with the hopes of ending a slump that’s gone on for way too long. Injuries have been an issue but it’s been five months since Simpson recorded a top-20. However, Simpson has been a beast at Sea Island doing everything but win. He has a pair of runner-up finishes and five top-10s overall in 10 starts. He failed to play the weekend just once with a WD on his record a few years ago. His overall success here makes him a strong play even if he’s struggling coming in.
Course: Seaside Island Golf Course – 7,005-yards, Par-70
Those surviving the cut will play the weekend on the Seaside course. The distance of Seaside is relatively short at just over 7,000 yards with few hazards. That makes hitting fairways and greens more important than distance off the tee. The past five winners all scored -19 or better with last year’s winner Gooch matching the 72-hole record of 22-under 260. The greens are larger than most with an emphasis on short iron approach shots and strong putting. Golfers will play one round on the 7,060-yard, par-72 Plantation Course that underwent a facelift a few years ago with bunkers strategically placed to make it a little more challenging. It’s another short par 72 and the remodel made it a little tougher. Still, you can expect plenty of birdie and eagle opportunities.
TV Coverage: Golf Channel
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker.eu.
Check out the latest odds at BookMaker
