The excitement, the golf course, the atmosphere — everything about the Masters is impossible to live up to, or in this case, follow up.
With the help of a surprisingly loaded field the week after a major championship, the RBC Heritage is next up on the PGA Tour schedule.
Fresh off a top-10 at Augusta National, Justin Thomas is the betting favorite at Harbour Town (+1200). In his second start back from the COVID-19 break in 2020, Thomas tied for 8th in Hilton Head.
Last season, Stewart Cink used Thursday and Friday 63s to end the week victorious. The defending champion is in the field but enters the tournament missing three weekends in his last four starts (T-7 at the Valspar was his lone Sunday finish).
Golf course
Harbour Town Golf Links | Par 71 | 7,121 yards
Harbour Town Golf Links. Photo courtesy of Sea Pines
Key statistics
Driving accuracy
Harbour Town, for much of the layout, is the definition of tree-lined. It’s not about overpowering the golf course, it’s about playing the right shot at the right time — and that starts with hitting the fairway.
Strokes Gained: Around the Green
The greens are small and contoured. It’s inevitable that the field will have to get up and down around this track and they’ll have to do it efficiently if they want a chance to win.
Data Golf Information
Course Fit (compares golf courses based on the degree to which different golfer attributes — such as driving distance — to predict who performs well at each course – DataGolf): 1. Austin Country Club, 2. Sea Island GC, 3. Waialae Country Club
Trending: 1. Shane Lowry (last three starts: T-12, T-35, T-3), 2. Justin Thomas (T-3, T-35, T-8), 3. Cameron Smith (T-33, 1, T-3)
Percent chance to win (based on course history, fit, trending, etc.): 1. Cameron Smith (5 percent), 2. Patrick Cantlay (4.9 percent), 3. Justin Thomas (4.9 percent)
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Betting odds
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list.
| Player | Odds |
| Justin Thomas | (+1200) |
| Collin Morikawa | (+1300) |
| Cameron Smith | (+1500) |
| Patrick Cantlay | (+1500) |
| Dustin Johnson | (+2000) |
| Shane Lowry | (+2000) |
| Matthew Fitzpatrick | (+2000) |
| Webb Simpson | (+3000) |
| Russell Henley | (+3000) |
| Daniel Berger | (+3000) |
Betting card for the 2022 RBC Heritage
Last week’s results: Masters
| Position plays | Odds | Result |
| Will Zalatoris (Top 20) | (+125) | Cash (T-6) |
| Xander Schauffele (Top 10) | (+220) | Miss (MC) |
| Brooks Koepka (Top 10) | (+200) | Miss (MC) |
| Rory McIlroy (Top 10) | (+200) | Cash (2) |
| Tiger Woods (To make the cut) | (-110) | Cash (47) |
| Shane Lowry (Top 20) | (+140) | Cash (T-3) |
| Outright plays | ||
| Justin Thomas | (+1500) | Miss (T-8) |
| Rory McIlroy | (+2000) | Miss (2) |
| Brooks Koepka | (+2000) | Miss (MC) |
| Xander Schauffele | (+2000) | Miss (MC) |
| Shane Lowry | (+5000, .5 units) | Miss (T-3) |
| Tommy Fleetwood | (+7000, .5 units) | Miss (T-14) |
Masters: Up 3.55 units on position plays, down 5 units on outright plays.
2022: Up 16.24 units on position plays, up 18.5 units on outright plays.
Maverick McNealy hits a tee shot on the first hole during the first round of the Valero Texas Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports
McNealy last played at the Valero Texas Open where he entered Sunday just three shots off the lead. However, he struggled over his last 18 holes and ended the week T-35.
Last season, the 26-year-old finished T-4 at Harbour Town.
Bets to consider: Top-20 (+220), Outright (+5000)
Matthew Fitzpatrick hits his tee shot on #10 during the third day of the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play golf tournament at Austin Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports
This golf course is tailor-made for Fitzpatrick. Accuracy is at a premium, putting is crucial, and a tight short game is needed. The Englishman ranks inside the top-20 on Tour in SG: Approach, Around the Green, and Putting.
In six stroke play event starts this season, outside of a missed cut at the Players Championship, he hasn’t finished worse than T-14.
Fitzpatrick’s last four starts at the RBC Heritage: T-4 (2021), T-14 (2020), T-39 (2019), and T-14 (2018).
Bets to consider: Top-10 (+200), Outright (+2000)
Shane Lowry plays a shot from a bunker on the seventh hole during the final round of the Masters golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
At some point, Lowry has to break through for another win. In four stroke play event starts on Tour in 2022, the Irishman has finished runner-up, T-13, T-12, and T-3.
He missed the cut here in 2020, but tied for 9th last season and 3rd in 2019.
Bets to consider: Top-20 (+115), Outright (+2000)
Alex Noren plays his shot from the first tee during the final round of The Honda Classic golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
The Swede has accumulated three T-12 finishes or better in his last five stroke play event starts. He hasn’t finished outside the top-30 at the RBC Heritage over the past three seasons including two straight top-25s.
Bets to consider: Top-20 (+230)
Russell Henley hits his tee shot on the second hole during the final round of the 2022 Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
Henley has been one of the most consistent players on Tour in 2022. He’s finished T-33 or better in every stroke play event start, including four top-20s.
The 32-year-old missed the cut here in 2019 and 2020, but grabbed a top-10 last season. Henley is 23rd in driving accuracy, 9th in greens in regulation, 1st in SG: Approach, and 27th SG: Around the Green.
His game fits this course perfectly, and he enters the week in great form.
Best to consider: Top-20 (+155), Outright (+3000)
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