Horses for Courses: RBC Heritage
6 Min Read
Top 10 shots from the last 10 years at the RBC Heritage
Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, is the annual spring break destination week after the Masters.
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The 54th navigation of Pete Dye's seaside masterpiece will test the patience, accuracy and shot making of game's best players. Now stretching to 7,190 yards more bite has been added to the two Par-5 holes on the front nine plus and extra tee box on the Par-3 No. 17.
Tee shots are framed by routing through the pines with multiple doglegs prevalent. With some of the toughest fairways and greens to hit, I'll remind you that the rough is less than an inch so recovery shots not stymied will have chances to be pulled off. Only Pebble Beach has smaller putting surfaces so finding ways to chip it in or close won't hurt either. Back to Bermuda this week and the overseed should be rolling perfectly, as usual.
The formula this week will reward the shot makers and scramblers who keep the big numbers off the card and cash in on their chances on the greens. Mother Nature appears to have taken the week off minus a small chance of thunderstorms early in the event but I'm not reading about gusting winds so that's going to help scoring as well.
Speaking of scoring, the 2020 edition in June set almost all of the scoring records including the tournament total. It was the second event back after the COVID-19 break and the weather was perfect and so was the course. I'm not dismissing those results this week but it should be noted.
The field of 132 will be reduced to the top 50 and ties to play the final two rounds. On the line is a purse of $8 million with the winner collecting $1.440 million plus 500 FedExCup points and a slick tartan jacket!
Let's find some horses for courses!
Horses for Courses
| Recent Winners entered this week (cuts made/events entered) | Top 10s | Top 25s | 2022 BET MGM ODDS Win, Top 10, Top 20 |
| 2021: Stewart Cink (17/22) | 6 | 8 | +10000; +900; +400 |
| 2020: Webb Simpson (11/12) | 4 | 8 | +3300; +300; +140 |
| 2019: CT Pan (4/5) | 1 | 2 | +12500; +900; +400 |
| 2018: Satoshi Kodaira (2/3) | 1 | 1 | +20000; +1800; +750 |
| 2017: Wesley Bryan (4/4) | 1 | 2 | +25000; +2000; +800 |
| Veteran Presence entered this week (cuts made/events entered) | Top 10s | Top 25s | 2022 BET MGM ODDS Win, Top 10, Top 20 |
| Harold Varner III (3/6) | 1 | 1 | +5000; +500; +225 |
| Matt Fitzpatrick (5/7) | 1 | 4 | +2200; +220; +100 |
| Chris Kirk (6/10) | 1 | 2 | +5000; +450; +200 |
| Russell Henley (4/8) | 2 | 3 | +3500; +333; +150 |
| Cameron Smith (4/6) | 1 | 2 | +1400; +160; -145 |
| Michael Thompson (5/9) | 2 | 3 | +20000; +1400; +600 |
| Matt Kuchar (17/18) | 6 | 11 | +4000; +400; +175 |
| Scott Piercy (5/7) | 1 | 2 | +30000; +2200; +1000 |
| Kevin Streelman (8/11) | 3 | 4 | +6600; +500; +225 |
| Kevin Na (10/15) | 5 | 7 | +5000; +400; +180 |
| Ian Poulter (11/11) | 2 | 5 | +8000; +750; +333 |
| Troy Merritt (4/7) | 2 | 2 | +10000; +700; +300 |
| Si Woo Kim (3/5) | 1 | 2 | +5000; +450; +200 |
| Luke List (4/7) | 1 | 1 | +10000; +800; +350 |
| Billy Horschel (7/9) | 2 | 3 | +4000; +375; +140 |
| Kevin Kisner (6/9) | 2 | 3 | +5000; +450; +200 |
| Bill Haas (8/17) | 1 | 3 | +25000; +2200; +1000 |
| William McGirt (6/9) | 3 | 3 | +40000; +2800; +1100 |
| Brian Harman (8/12) | 2 | 4 | +5000; +500; +225 |
| Gaining Traction entered this week (cuts made/events entered) | Top 10s | Top 25s | 2022 BET MGM ODDS Win, Top 10, Top 20 |
| Emiliano Grillo (3/4) | 1 | 2 | +15000; +1400; +600 |
| Corey Conners (2/5) | 1 | 2 | +2500; +240; +120 |
| Maverick McNealy (2/2) | 1 | 1 | +5000; +450; +200 |
| Collin Morikawa (2/2) | 1 | 1 | +1400; +170; -125 |
| Shane Lowry (3/4) | 2 | 2 | +2200; +225; +100 |
| Daniel Berger (4/4) | 1 | 2 | +2800; +300; +130 |
| Tyrrell Hatton (3/4) | 1 | 1 | +4000; +375; +150 |
| Patrick Cantlay (3/4) | 3 | 3 | +2000; +200; -110 |
| Joaquin Niemann (1/1) | 1 | 1 | +3300; +333; +150 |
| JT Poston (2/3) | 2 | 2 | +15000; +1400; +650 |
| Justin Thomas (3/3) | 1 | 2 | +1200; +140; -160 |
| Dylan Frittelli (3/3) | 1 | 1 | +8000; +800; +350 |
| JJ Spaun (2/4) | 1 | 1 | +6600; +650; +300 |
| Select Past Winners entered this week (cuts made/events entered) | Top 10s | Top 25s | 2022 BET MGM ODDS |
| 2016: Branden Grace (6/6) | 2 | 3 | +15000; +1200; +550 |
| 2015: Jim Furyk (15/22) | 8 | 10 | +30000; +2000; +900 |
| 2013: Graeme McDowell (8/12) | 1 | 2 | +25000; +1800; +750 |
| 2011: Brandt Snedeker (12/16) | 1 | 5 | +125000; +1000; +450 |
| 2009: Brian Gay (11/21) | 3 | 4 | +35000; +3000; +1400 |
Odds sourced on Tuesday, April 12 at 1 p.m. ET. For live odds visit betmgm.
Recent Event Winner Stats
| Year | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Winner | Stewart Cink | Webb Simpson | CT Pan |
| Score | 265 (-19) | 262 (-22) | 272 (-12) |
| MOV | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Cut | 2-under | 4-under !!!! | Even |
| Age | 47 | 34 | 27 |
| Pre Tournament Odds | +12500 | +3000 | +16000 |
| Distance - All Drives | T5 | T33 | T50 |
| Driving Accuarcy | T57 | T33 | T59 |
| GIR | T1 | T12 | T37 |
| Ball-Striking | T13 | 16 | 59 |
| Proximity | 11 | T33 | 7 |
| Putting: Birdie or Better % | 31 | 3 | 4 |
| SG: Off-the-Tee | 20 | 34 | 50 |
| SG: Approach-the-Green | 2 | 8 | 18 |
| SG: Around-the-Green | 5 | 37 | 7 |
| SG: Putting | T25 | 2 | 5 |
| SG: Tee-to-Green | 1 | 7 | 11 |
| Scrambling | T4 | T27 | T16 |
| Bogey Avoidance | T1 | T11 | T10 |
| Par-3 Scoring | T1 | T52 | T43 |
| Par-4 Scoring | T5 | T2 | T1 |
| Par-5 Scoring | T10 | T4 | T7 |
Extra Credit (players entered this week only)
2021
Stewart Cink picked up his THIRD victory at this event and first since 2004 as he missed tying the April scoring record by a shot. ... Emiliano Grillo (T2) was T3 Fairways, T5 GIR and only made three bogeys (T1) in his best result in four tries. ... Harold Varner III (T2) led the field in Par-4 scoring and like Grillo didn't post a round higher than 69. ... Corey Conners (T4) was T3 GIR and T3 Bogey Avoidance. ... Maverick McNealy (T4) knows a thing or two about small greens growing up on Pebble Beach. He was T2 with 20 birdies and T2 in Par-5 scoring (-10). ... Matt Fitzpatrick (T4) has cashed in four straight with three T14 or better. ... Former Sea Island winner Chris Kirk (T7) cashed his best check in 10 starts. ... Collin Morikawa (T7) played in the final group five shots back but shot 72. He and Cink T1 GIR for the week. ... Russell Henley (T9) lead the field SG: Approach and picked up his first top 10 since his 2013 debut. ... Shane Lowry (T9) held the 36 hole lead in 2019 and played in the final group before cashing T3. ... 2021 winner Webb Simpson (T9) led the field in Scrambling and continued the streak of defending champions to MAKE the cut. The last to miss was Davis Love III in 1993. ... Cameron Smith (T9) posted the low round of the week, 62, to lead after 18 holes and miss tying the course record by a shot. ... Cink set the 36 hole scoring record by THREE shots as he opened 63-63 and led by five. ... Of the top 12 seven played the previous week at Augusta National including the champion who posted T12 at the Masters. ... Debutant Cam Davis (T25) led the field with 21 birdies. ... Big hitting Brian Stuard (T18) led the field in Par-5 scoring (-11) and has cashed in seven straight. ... Scoring average was 70.332. ... 25 bogey free rounds.
2020
First June event in history (COVID-19) saw winner Webb Simpson set the tournament scoring record on 22-under. His streak of T16 or better is at five entering 2022. ... Daniel Berger (T3) won the week prior at Colonial to kick off the truncated 2020 season. ... Tyrrell Hatton (T3) played his final 54 holes in 20-under, the old tournament scoring record! ... Debutant Joaquin Niemann (T5) was T3 in GIR and closed 63-65 like Berger. ... Dylan Frittelli (T8) missed tying the course record by a shot as his 62 on Sunday fell short. ... JT Poston (T8) led the field in Putting and picked up his second consecutive top 10 here. ... Justin Thomas (T8) played his final 54 holes in 18-under for his first top 10. ... Michael Thompson (T8) is on a current run of four straight and 2020 is the best of the bunch. ... Ian Poulter (T14) co-led after the first round. ... Simpson led after 36 and co-led with Hatton after 54. ... Most rounds of 63 or better in history. ... Only time in 52 editions the scoring average (69.137) fell below 70. ... Worst finish from the top 14 on Sunday was 67!
2019
Winner CT Pan became the third international winner in the last four editions and fourth consecutive first time winner on TOUR. ... 2014 winner Matt Kuchar (2nd) posted all four rounds in the 60s and is T23 or better in seven of his last eight currently. ... Patrick Cantlay (T3) streak of T3-T7-T3 was snapped in 2021. ... First and second round leader Shane Lowry (T3) beat Dustin Johnson (T26) by seven shots in the final group. ... Scott Piercy (T3) led the field in GIR. ... Debutant JT Poston (T6) closed 66-67 and made only two bogeys and a double for the week. ... Kevin Streelman (T8) joined Kuchar as the only players to post all four rounds in the 60s and is on a current streak of cashing in eight of his last nine. ... Troy Merritt (T10) picked up his first top 10 since tying the course record of 61 in 2015 (3rd). ... Kevin Na (T10) MC before and in his last visit last year. ... Ian Poulter (T10) has never MC in 11 tries and only one finish of his last five is outside T14. ... Michael Thompson (T10) cashed his best check to that point in his seventh visit. ... Only five players 10-under or better for the week. ... Scoring average was 71.170. ... Pan, Lowry and Webb Simpson (T16) shared the low round of the week with 65. ... Defending champion Satoshi Kodaira (70th) was last. ... Just 20 bogey free rounds.
Notes:
- Kodaira was the last winner on debut.
- Internationals have won five of the last 10 events.
- Jim Furyk (2) and Davis Love III (5) join Cink as multiple winners entered this week.
- Only Boo Weekley has defended his title
- Brian Gay won by 10 shots in 2009, a record.
- Youngest winner is Davis Love III (23).
- Oldest winner is Hale Irwin (48).
- The last playoff was 2018 as Kodaira defeated Si Woo Kim.
- South Carolina native Dustin Johnson has not missed in his last four tries nor has he ever posted better than T13.
- Jordan Spieth is a perfect 6 from 6 and has a 62 to his name. His only top 10 was his debut in 2013 (T9).
- Luke Donald has FIVE seconds and two thirds here but noting since T2 in 2017.
- Alex Noren is warming up with T25-T21-T28 the last three editions.
Key stat leaders
Top golfers in each statistic on the 2020-2021 PGA TOUR are listed only if they are scheduled to compete this week.
| Stroke-Gained: Tee To Green | |
| Rank | Player |
| 2 | Justin Thomas |
| 3 | Luke List |
| 5 | Matt Fitzpatrick |
| 6 | Joaquin Niemann |
| 7 | Russell Henley |
| 8 | Daniel Berger |
| 11 | Chris Kirk |
| 12 | Tom Hoge |
| 14 | Sungjae Im |
| 15 | Corey Conners |
| 19 | Cameron Smith |
| Par-4 Scoring | |
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Justin Thomas |
| 2 | Cameron Smith |
| 3 | Collin Morikawa |
| 5 | Sungjae Im |
| 5 | Matt Kuchar |
| 7 | Corey Conners |
| 7 | Mito Pereira |
| 15 | Patrick Cantlay |
| 15 | Brian Harman |
| 15 | Russell Henley |
| 15 | Nate Lashley |
| 15 | Cameron Young |
| Scrambling | |
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Matt Kuchar |
| 2 | Shane Lowry |
| 3 | Matt Fitzpatrick |
| 4 | Sungjae Im |
| 5 | Alex Noren |
| 7 | Jonathan Byrd |
| 8 | Daniel Berger |
| 9 | Kevin Streelman |
| 10 | Patrick Cantlay |
| 11 | Tom Hoge |
| 12 | Denny McCarthy |
| 14 | Justin Thomas |
| 15 | Troy Merritt |