Odds Outlook: Ludvig Åberg headlines top picks for The RSM Classic

The Golden Isles of Georgia and The RSM Classic will provide the final challenge for the 2022-23 PGA TOUR season. At the conclusion of play this week, the eligibility of the top 125 players plus The Next 10 will be set for the beginning of the 2024 season.

The RSM Classic on Sea Island features a full field of 156 players, spread over two courses before the 36-hole cut, led by 2022 champion Adam Svensson (+3300). The Canadian will look to become the first player to successfully defend the title in the 14th edition of the event.

With over a dozen local Sea Island residents in the field, it’s Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg (+1400) at the top of the BetMGM Sportsbook market. Finishing T14 at Wyndham in August, he’s rattled off six straight worldwide paydays T13 or better, including five inside the top 10, a win and a playoff loss. Taking last week off, he cashed T10 in Mexico after closing with 64 two weeks ago. Checking in at No. 96 in the FedExCup Fall, his place is secure for next year. This will be the last chance for him, and everyone else, to add a victory to the ledger.

Before securing T13 at the TOUR Championship, Russell Henley (+2000) was hotter than the weather as the summer and regular season was wrapping up. Securing T2 at Wyndham, he followed on with T6 in Memphis and T8 in Chicago in the first two rounds of the FedExCup Playoffs. This time last year, he posted 23-under to win at Mayakoba, but this is his first start since late August. The Georgia native has three previous top-10 paydays on the Golden Isles.

Closing 64-65, Brian Harman (+2000) was co-runner up here this time last year, his best result from eight made cuts in 11 trips. The lefty hasn’t teed it up since the Ryder Cup in Rome but has annually played this event since 2014. Posting T31 or better in his previous seven events on TOUR, the Savannah native cashed four times in the top 10, including his first major championship at Royal Liverpool.

After going 10 weeks between starts, Cameron Young (+2000) returned to the TOUR with T54 in Los Cabos two weeks ago. The big hitter sprayed it all over the Baja Peninsula but found something. Opening with a bogey-free 65 (seven birdies), he closed with a bogey-free 64 (eight birdies) to garner attention. Looking for his first win on TOUR, The RSM Classic has produced 10 first-time winners in 13 previous editions.

Corey Conners (+2500) will look to add his name to the club of winners from north of the border. The Canadian will look to join countrymen Svensson and Mackenzie Hughes (2016) as winners on the Golden Isles. Making his fifth visit, only Webb Simpson (+9000) has a better career scoring average (entered this week) at this event.

Others to consider:

+2800: Alex Noren, Eric Cole, J.T. Poston, Justin Suh
+3300: Denny McCarthy, Si Woo Kim
+4000: Billy Horschel, Brendon Todd, Matt Kuchar, Taylor Pendrith
+4500: Alex Smalley, Chris Kirk, J.J. Spaun, Luke List, Stephan Jaeger
+5000: Akshay Bhatia, Chesson Hadley, Keith Mitchell
+5500: Camilo Villegas, Davis Thompson, Harris English, Matti Schmid
+6600: Adam Schenk, Ben Griffin, Doug Ghim, Mark Hubbard, Taylor Montgomery, Thomas Detry, Adam Long, Callum Tarren, Carl Yuan, K.H. Lee, Nicholas Lindheim
+8000: Austin Eckroat, Brandon Wu, Cameron Champ, Mackenzie Hughes, Nick Hardy, Ryan Palmer, Sam Ryder
+9000: Matt NeSmith, Webb Simpson
+10000: Chad Ramey, Dylan Wu, Nate Lashley, Ryan Moore, Scott Stallings, Stewart Cink, Vince Whaley, Will Gordon

How it works:

• Field of 156 players.
• Top 65 and ties play the weekend.
• Purse of $8.4 million, with the winner taking home $1.512 million, plus 500 FedExCup points.

Circle back tomorrow as I post more details in Horses for Courses plus the Betting Stat Pack.

Odds courtesy of BETMGM.COM.

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