We’re entering the final full field event on the fall swing potion of the PGA Tour schedule with a stop at the RSM Classic.
Seas Island Resort has been the host of this tournament since 2010 and this installment is the second consecutive time that it serves as the final event of the calendar year.
The event is held at the Sea Island Resort in St. Simons Island, Georgia and is a bit unique as the first two days will be held at separate courses.
A round each on Thursday and Friday will be played at the Plantation Course and Seaside Course before the cut following Friday’s rounds. Both weekend rounds will be played at the Seaside Course.
Both courses play relatively similar as they play on the shorter end of PGA Tour courses. With that being said, both courses play easy relative to par. The winning score typically is in the low under-20s.
With being any coastal course, the wind plays the biggest line of defense. If the wind begins to kick off the ocean, mainly on the Seaside Course, it can derail any golfer’s round.
Accuracy over power is the key to victory at Seas Island Resort.
Strokes can’t be left on these Bermuda greens with scores set to be so low. Making the most out of the work on the greens will be crucial so catching a hot flat stick this week could see someone propel to victory.
As for weather this week, it’ll be on the cooler side. Highs range from 56 degrees on Thursday before reaching 62 degrees on Saturday and ending the event with a high of 57 degrees on Sunday. There is a very low chance for precipitation this week, peaking at 20-percent on Sunday. Weather shouldn’t be a factor outside of the coastal winds.
Key statistics to consider this week include Strokes Gained: Approach (SG: APP,) Strokes Gained: Tee to Green (SG: TTG,) Greens in Regulation Percentage (GIR%,) Strokes Gained: Putting (SG: PUTT,) Birdie or Better Percentage, Driving Accuracy Percentage and Par 4 Scoring.
$10,000+
With Tony Finau withdrawing from the event, there are only just two golfers over the $10,000 mark and in my opinion, one worth mentioning. That one golfer is Brian Harman ($10,300.) Harman comes in second in our module this week. Harman is as local as it comes to this event as he currently resides in St. Simons Island. He was born in Savannah, Georgia and played his college golf at the University of Georgia. He knows his way around the area needless to say. He’s currently fourth on tour in par 4 scoring, 16th in birdie or better percentage, 17th in driving accuracy percentage, 20th in GIR%, 33rd in SG: TTG, 48th in SG: APP and 75th in SG: PUTT. He’s well above average in every statistical category we’re taking into consideration this week. The last time we saw Harman two weeks back at the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba he placed second. He’s also gone T15th at the Shriners Children’s Open and T23rd at the CJ Cup on the season.
$9,000-$9,900
Once again, our module is super high on Tom Hoge ($9,800) this week as he comes in as the top option this week. He’s third on tour in SG: APP, ninth in GIR%, 13th in par 4 scoring, 23rd in SG: TTG, 24th in SG: PUTT, 26th in birdie or better percentage and 55th in driving accuracy. According to our module, he’s miles above everyone else competing this week when it comes to his golf game at Seas Island Resort. Hoge has played in five events on the season this far and has gone T4th at the Shrines Children’s Open, T9th at the Zozo Championship, T12th at the Fortinet Championship and T13th at the CJ Cup. He’s playing some good golf to start this season. Also consider Jason Day ($9,400.) Day is currently 12th on tour in SG: APP, 19th in GIR%, 20th in SG: TTG, 23rd in par 4 scoring, 36th in driving accuracy percentage, 69th in birdie or better percentage and 91st in SG: PUTT. Day has been playing great golf as well to start the season. In his last four events he’s gone T16th at the Cadence Bank Houston Open, T21st at the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba, T11th at the CJ Cup and T8th at the Shriners Children’s Open.
$8,000-$8,900
There really isn’t a pressing issue of lineup flexibility this week, especially with such limited options at the top, but Brendon Todd ($8,000) scores high in our module and is at the bottom of this price range. Todd has played in five events this far this season and is highlighted by a T7th at the CJ Cup and T9th at the Fortinet Championship. Annually, Todd is one of the better putters on tour and currently ranks 41st. He’s a better putter than even that reflects so if he is to catch form this week, he can make a run for a victory. He’s also currently 23rd on Tour in par 4 scoring, 24th in birdie or better percentage, 30th in SG: APP, 31st in driving accuracy percentage, 43rd in SG: TTG and 88th in GIR%. Also consider Matt Kuchar ($8,900.) Kuchar is a Florida product but did play his college golf at Georgia Tech, so he is also familiar with the area. He’s played in three tournaments this far this season and has not finished worse than T29th. His best finish on the year has been a T12th at the Fortinet Championship. He’s currently 13th on tour in SG: TTG, 14th in par 4 scoring, 17th in SG: APP, 41st in GIR%, 64th in driving accuracy percentage and 96th in birdie or better percentage. His downfall on the season has been putting as he's currently 152nd. He’ll need to catch a hot flat stick to compete this week but even with putting poorly, he has three top 30s on the year.
$7,000-$7,900
Justin Lower ($7,300) leads off this penultimate price range. He’s currently 11th on tour in birdie or better percentage, 31st in par 4 scoring, 46th in SG: PUTT, 53rd in GIR%, 55th in SG: TTG, 77th in SG: APP and 84th in driving accuracy percentage. He’s above average in each of the statistical categories we’ve taken into consideration this week and is the low $7,000’s. That’s a win in my book. Lower has played in six events on the season, highlighted by a T4th at the Fortinet Championship and T8th at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. Also consider Aaron Rai ($7,800.) Rai is currently 25th on tour in driving accuracy percentage, 35th in SG: PUTT, 40th in par 4 scoring, 47th in birdie or better percentage, 59th in SG: TTG, 67th in GIR% and 89th in SG: APP. Like Lower, Rai is currently above average in each of the statistical categories we’ve taken into consideration this week. Rai has played in six tournaments on the season and has made the cuts in five of them. He most recently went T7th at the Cadence Bank Houston Open.
$6,900-
Leading off this final price range is Aaron Baddeley ($6,500.) Baddeley has a top ten on the season as he went T6th at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. He’s currently tenth on tour in birdie or better percentage, 37th in SG: PUTT, 40th in par 4 scoring, 44th in GIR%, 79th in SG: TTG and 113th in SG: APP. His downfall is his well below average placement in driving accuracy percentage. Finding a few more fairways this week could propel Baddeley into the weekend. Also consider Cameron Percy ($6,500.) I guess we’re going all Australian here in this price range. Percy has played in two events this season and placed T25th at the Fortinet Championship and T35th at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. He’s currently 15th on tour in GIR%, 41st in SG: TTG, 55th in SG: PUTT, 58th in par 4 scoring and 90th in SG: APP. He’s well below average in birdie or better percentage and driving accuracy percentage. Like Baddeley, he’ll need to find some fairways this week to make a run into the weekend.