Draws and Fades: Watch for proven winners to escape major nerves on Sea Island Sunday

The nerves will be palpable on Sunday at Sea Island after Maverick McNealy and Vince Whaley positioned themselves for a great tilt at their first TOUR win at The RSM Classic.

But if either is to go on and claim that elusive title, they’ll have to hold off a couple of players who have been there and done that on numerous occasions in Daniel Berger and Mackenzie Hughes.

Whaley shot a 7-under 63 on Saturday to move to 14-under where he was joined by McNealy (66). The latter had a short birdie try on 18 to take the solo lead but saw it slide off the edge of the cup.

The duo are two clear of four-time TOUR winner Berger (63), two-time TOUR winner Hughes (65) plus Michael Thorbjornsen (67) and Patrick Fishburn (69) who all found their way to 12-under through three rounds.

Lee Hodges (69) and amateur Luke Clanton (68) share seventh at 11-under with Nico Echavarria (68) and Michael Kim (68) tied ninth at 10-under.

But it isn’t just the battle for the final tournament of the FedExCup season that has nerves jangling. Players are also fighting for their TOUR cards via the top-125 standings. As it stands with a round to go, four players in Berger, Thorbjornsen, Henrik Norlander and Hayden Springer are in position to play their way into the top 125 should they keep it up for one more round.

Here are the latest outright odds via BetMGM Sportsbook.

• +225: Maverick McNealy (-14, T1)
• +350: Vince Whaley (-14, T1)
• +700: Mackenzie Hughes (-12, T3)
• +750: Daniel Berger (-12, T3)
• +800: Michael Thorbjornsen (-12, T3)
• +900: Patrick Fishburn (-12, T3)
• +1100: Luke Clanton (-11, T7)
• +2000 Lee Hodges (-11, T7)
• +4000: Nico Echavarria (-10, T9)

If you are still looking for an entry point in this market, I’ll just pull out the rinse and repeat advice I’ve given you all week. Mackenzie Hughes (+700) remains the man to beat in my eyes having already done so here in the past and having put up two recent runner-ups to boot at Sea Island to be the all-time money leader here.

Hopefully you got on at the +3500 or +4000 I advocated earlier in the week, or even the +1800 last night. Either way, I still like the +700 option to chase down two players who have yet to close a TOUR title. Hughes sits third in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting, fifth in SG: Around the Green and 13th in SG: Approach. If he tidies up just a little off the tee, he will really be dangerous.

I wouldn’t sleep on Berger (+750) either. He was my man to watch for the FedExCup Fall before it all kicked off but it’s taken until now for him to really show some of his former glories. The concern, in terms of betting him to win, is the fact he’s on the top-125 FedExCup bubble so there may come a point in the round where he plays defensively rather than aggressively to ensure his card for next season.

If risk is your game the +1100 on Clanton isn’t the dumbest idea. Yes, he’s only an amateur but he’s a very good one and we have already seen an amateur winner this season in Nick Dunlap so why not one more!? Clanton is tied for the most birdies this week and appears young and brash enough to chase victory.

Lastly, I am heading back to another name from my pre-tournament column in Norlander who sits +275 for a Top 10 including ties via DraftKings despite currently sitting T12. Norlander knows he can’t protect, he must continue to play positive golf, if he is to maintain his projection inside the top 125 of the season standings. I supported him doing so pre-week, and I’m not jumping off now. He leads the field in SG: Approach.

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