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The final event of 2024 on the PGA Tour (not counting the elite field Hero World Challenge plus a few sill season events in December) and it’s last chance saloon for many as they seek to either secure playing rights for next year or upgrade the ones they already possess. There’s a touch of the RBC Heritage and Harbour Town about this week. On the one hand that’s all about vibe. The RBC Heritage is – or perhaps was before it became a Signature Event– a laid back week after the mayhem of the Masters. The RSM Classic is also loved by the PGA Tour community for being a wonderful location to end the year. Both venues are similar too. Where Hilton Head Island and Harbour Town is a holiday spot, Sea Island is a place where many players have first or second homes. And then there is the test itself: both Harbour Town and Sea Island are flattish and shortish courses, by the ocean therefore breezy, with Bermuda grass greens. That description of Sea Island refers to the resort as a whole because, in fact, two courses are used. The Plantation is a par 72 at a touch over 7,000 yards that is vulnerable to low scoring and it is used just once before the cut. The Harry Colt designed Seaside Course is also only just above 7,000 yards but is a par 70. It is designed as a links-like layout but it’s Bermuda grass with some rye. It doesn’t really play like links on the ground – it’s the seaside location and the wind that brings that notion into play. How does the field attack this week? Vaughn Taylor said: “You’ve got a lot of wedges in and short irons, so you immediately get aggressive.” Brendon Todd said: “It comes down to who approaches it well and makes putts.” And 2016 winner Mackenzie Hughes added: “The Seaside Course kind of has some bigger fairways when there’s not any wind blowing, but when the wind’s blowing, you’ve got those crosswinds going, the fairways seem kind of small. I think the Seaside’s more, I don’t want to say linksy but it has that linksy feel to it, and the Plantation’s a bit more tree-lined.”
Angles to consider 1/ The test It’s not just Harbour Town that is similar. Think Waialae, El Camaleon and (to a lesser degree) Port Royal on the PGA Tour and the Bahamas courses and the Landings Club on the Korn Ferry Tour. 2/ Form 10 of the last 11 winners had a top 30 finish in at least one of their three previous starts. 3/ Strokes Gained Putting The last four winners ranked top 10 for Strokes Gained Putting. 4/ Strokes Gained Approach The last three winners had already recorded a top two ranking for SG Approach in the year. It’s important to note, however, that the winners before then had dropped not such hint whatsoever.
Selections The above angles have been used to create a shortlist from which the following players are selected. Ben Griffin He was T29 at Sea Island in 2022 and then eighth last year when thrashing a final round 61. He also finished second in the Canadian Open on another Harry Colt design, Hamilton. He’s in a nice run of form, finishing seventh at Sedgefield, having bright starts at Southwind and Jackson, landing T11 at Black Desert, was T22 in Japan, two shots back of the 54 hole lead in Mexico and eighth in Bermuda last week. He ranked first for SG Approach at Hamilton and second at Sedgefield. He ranked third for putting on the Sea Island greens last year. Eric Cole Sixth last time out at the ZOZO Championship when his putter was hot (sixth for SG Putting) and two starts before that he ranked first for Approach when T16 at Jackson CC. He was third in this event last year when thrashing a sensational third round 61. He lost a play-off at PGA National (Bermuda greens, blustery) and has vast experience of resort golf in the south-east of the States (and winning minor tour events on them). JJ Spaun He’s finished sixth at Harbour Town, third at El Camaleon, seventh at Port Royal and has a very fine course record. He’s missed just one cut in eight visits, was second in 2017 and has finished top 20 in his last three appearances, closing 64-63 last year. He was third at Sedgefield in August, sixth in Japan two starts ago and played well for T30 last time out in Mexico after a poor start. His approach play has been strong in the last few months, he ranked third for the category in Houston in April and he putted nicely in Japan.
Tips: 1pt e.w. Ben Griffin at 33/1 (Betfair Sportsbook, Unibet, BetMGM 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6) 1pt e.w. Eric Cole at 40/1 (Unibet, BetMGM, LiveScoreBet 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6) 1pt e.w. JJ Spaun at 40/1 (Skybet 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8)
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