Odds Outlook: Scottie Scheffler man to beat (again) at RBC Heritage

Following the first major championship of the season, the fifth of eight Signature Events on the 2024 FedExCap calendar tees off at Harbour Town Golf Links. It’s time for the RBC Heritage, where there is a familiar name atop the oddsboard.

Scottie Scheffler (+400 at BetMGM Sportsbook) arrives in the South Carolina Lowcountry with another green jacket added to his collection, and he headlines the 69-man field for the no-cut event. The world No. 1 has been beaten by exactly one player in his last four outings. Joining Tiger Woods as the only player to win THE PLAYERS Championship and the Masters Tournament in the same season, the Texan’s wife is due any day with their first child and remarked frequently that he will be there for the delivery. Making his tournament debut in 2023, he posted four rounds at 70 or better, ranked in the top eight in fairways and greens hit, and finished T11.

After cashing his 12th top-10 payday in just his 27th major championship start Xander Schauffele (+1100), returns to Harbour Town looking to improve on his solo fourth result from 2023, his best effort from four weekend attempts. Picking up top-10 results in majors, Signature Events, or any tournament, has been the bill of goods this season. The Californian has teed it up nine times and has found the top 10 seven times. Taking home the check for solo eighth place at Augusta National Golf ran his streak to three.

The incredible year of firsts for Ludvig Åberg (+1200) added another chapter to his legendary status last week. Playing in his first major championship, the Swedish star led the Masters (albeit briefly) on the weekend before finishing solo second. Any lingering questions about his make-up, mentally or physically, were answered last week. On one of the most demanding tracks used all season, he was the only player to post a round in the 60s during Friday’s difficult conditions. Sunday, after making double on No. 11, he rallied to birdie Nos. 13 and 14 to run back up the leaderboard, but eventually fell short of Scheffler.

Making just his third appearance at Harbour Town Golf Links and his first since the summer of 2020, a walk on the beach for Rory McIlroy (+1200) might be what the doctor ordered. The pressure cooker of Augusta National and trying to complete the career Grand Slam will follow him for another 360 days. Making more bogeys than birdies, his 16th visit to the Masters left him with more questions than answers. The driver, his weapon of choice, was responsible for locating just 36 of 56 fairways. The irons didn’t hold up after the big finish two Sundays ago in San Antonio. Finding only 37 of 72 Greens in Regulation (GIR), he was on the defense most of the week. The tight conditions off the tees and into the greens, the second smallest on TOUR behind Pebble Beach Golf Links, not to mention water on all 18 holes, will need a major refocus from the four-time major winner.

Tommy Fleetwood (+1800) joined an exclusive club Sunday at Augusta. Cashing a share of fourth, he joins a handful of players who have registered in the top five in all four major championships since 2017. The next step for the Englishman is to win on U.S. soil. Playing Harbour Town for the fourth consecutive season after the Masters, he’s 22 under on his last two visits, both resulting in T15 or better paydays. Posting all four rounds at par or better, just one of three players last week to accomplish that feat, he was second in Fairways, T7 GIR and 10th in Putting.

With only one top-10 paycheck from eight events played this season, Patrick Cantlay (+1800) will be encouraged to see the red and white stripes encompassing the 90-foot-tall Harbour Town Lighthouse. While it may not be a beacon in use for ships adrift, the Californian knows it means his game will safely return. Making the cut in five of six visits, he has cashed outside the podium once. Missing a playoff last year by a shot, he was defeated in a playoff in 2022. The only mementos missing from his visits are a tartan jacket and a trophy.

Defeating 2022 champion Jordan Spieth (+2500) in a playoff last year, Matt Fitzpatrick (+2000) added his name to the list of winners in his ninth attempt. A family vacation destination in his youth, the Englishman is more than comfortable on the Pete Dye links layout and has played annually since 2016. A streak of top-10 paydays (solo fifth-T10) was snapped with T22 last week. Rumblings about his short irons not being able to spin correctly didn’t help navigate the difficult Augusta National green complexes.

Collin Morikawa (+2200) reintroduced himself to the world of golf with another top-five in a major championship. Producing his first top-10 payout since The Sentry to open 2024, the PGA and Open champion found something last week to kick his game into gear. Hovering around the lead late on Saturday and into the final 10 holes on Sunday before cashing T4 should put a spring back in his step. Missing only 10 fairways (T3) and hitting 50 of 72 GIR (third) is the evidence gamers were patiently waiting to see again. The next step is taking it to Hilton Head Island this week.

With back-to-back top-10 finishes in his last two major championships, Max Homa (+2200) is rounding into the complete player. Playing from the penultimate pairing Sunday, he posted 73 to share third, his best result in a major championship. Flushing shots from tee to green, he co-led the field in GIR and was T6 Fairways. Making only his second start in April at Harbour Town, he will play the weekend for the first time in this no-cut event.

There’s also a second PGA TOUR event this week, as an Additional Event will head to the Dominican Republic for the Corales Puntacana Championship. Nicolai Hojgaard (+1400) opens as a betting favorite there, having briefly held the outright lead at Augusta National before a T16 finish in his Masters debut. Other notable odds in the Caribbean include Alex Noren (+1400), Billy Horschel (+2000) and Aaron Rai (+2200).

Here's a look at the remaining Heritage odds via BetMGM to round out the 69-man field in South Carolina:

• +2500: Jordan Spieth (2022 winner), Will Zalatoris, Wyndham Clark
• +2800: Cameron Young
• +3300: Russell Henley, Sahith Theegala
• +4000: Brian Harman, Sam Burns, Si Woo Kim, Tony Finau, Justin Thomas
• +4500: Corey Conners, Shane Lowry
• +5000: Denny McCarthy, Jason Day
• +5500: Akshay Bhatia, Byeong Hun An, Chris Kirk, Christiaan Bezuidenhout
• +6600: Cam Davis, Harris English, J.T. Poston, Sepp Straka, Sungjae Im, Taylor Moore, Tom Kim, Matthieu Pavon
• +8000: Adam Schenk, Brendon Todd, Keegan Bradley, Lucas Glover, Stephan Jaeger, Tom Hoge
• +9000: Kurt Kitayama
• +10000: Adam Hadwin, Erik van Rooyen, Mackenzie Hughes, Nick Taylor, Rickie Fowler, Thomas Detry
• +12500: Andrew Putnam, Emiliano Grillo, Eric Cole, Justin Rose
• +15000: Austin Eckroat, Patrick Rodgers
• +20000: Adam Svensson, Jake Knapp, Lee Hodges, Nick Dunlap, Seamus Power
• +25000: Chandler Phillips, Peter Malnati, Webb Simpson (2020 winner)
• +30000: Erik Barnes, Gary Woodland
• +35000: Alejandro Tosti, Brice Garnett
• +40000: Grayson Murray
• +75000: Kevin Kisner

How the RBC Heritage works:

• A field of 69 players includes the Aon Top 10, Aon Swing 5 and four sponsor’s exemptions.
• 72-hole, no-cut event.
• The purse of $20 million will pay first place $3.6 million.
• The winner also receives 700 FedExCup points.

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