RBC Heritage
Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head, S.C.
7,101 yards, par 71
Designers: Jack Nicklaus and Pete Dye (1969). Nicklaus' first course design
Tee Boxes: Celebration and Tif Sports Bermuda; Fairways and rough: 419 Bermuda grass. Greens: TifEagle Bermuda (stimping about 13-14)
Purse: $5,800,000; Winners share: $1,044,000
Defending champion: Matt Kuchar (-11)
Fed Ex Points: 500
Fed Ex Cup leaders: 1. Jordan Spieth (2,009 points) 2. Jimmy Walker (1,680) 3. J.B. Holmes (1,233) 4. Patrick Reed (1,173) 5. Bubba Watson (1,117).
Weather: Thursday: High 73 PM showers, 40%, wind North 11 MPH; Friday: High 75 PM showers, 40%m wind NW 5 MPH; Saturday: High 80, partly cloudy, 20% wind E 8 MPH; Sunday: High 78, Thunderstorms 80%, wind S 9 MPH.
TV: Thursday-Friday: Golf Channel 3-6 PM ET/2-5 PM CT; Saturday and Sunday: Golf Channel: 1-2:30 PM ET/12-1:30 PM CT; CBS: 3-6 PM ET/2-5 PM CT.
Key Holes:
No.1 410 yards, Par 4
Player needs to drive it straight because there are multiple trees surrounding both sides of the fairway. If the player takes care of business off the tee, he's hitting into a green that is fronted by a large trap on the left and can be birdied.
No. 4 200 yards, Par 3
Classic risk-reward hole, particularly when the hole is cut on the front left of the green. Going for the pin with that pin placement is highly risky as water is on the left hovering by the green. There is plenty of room to bail out on the right, but if you're chasing the leader on Sunday, you may have to go at the front left pin, which will be where the pin is located on Sunday.
No.8 473 yards, Par 4
The toughest hole on the course and usually ranks as one of the toughest on the PGA tour. You must hit it long and right off the tee to avoid the trees and water on the left and the bunkers on the right, one small one about 270 out and a longer one bordering the right side of the fairway at 280-85. The approach shot it to a small green with a long waste area bunker to the left of it and water just to the left of the waste bunker. Par here looks like a good score.
No.17 185 yards, Par 3
The wind will be coming off of Calibogue Sound can make this par 3 very challenging. The pro will be hitting over water to a longer shaped green than most on Harbour Torn with a long waste area fronting the left side of the green and water just to the left of the waste area. When the wind is blowing, and it could be a factor all weekend, it could be a three club wind either into the player's face, meaning an 8 iron is a five iron with a strong wind, or at the players back, which means an 8 iron is a pitching wedge with a strong wind. Always love a Par 3 at 17, usually leads to great drama on Sunday before the closing hole.
No.18, 472 yards, Par 4
This is the widest fairway on the PGA tour. There is water running off the left side throughout the hole, but the drive should be fine unless there are some Sunday nerves which could lead to a yank hook or slice into the trees on the right. But the drive shouldn't be a problem. The second shot is challenged by the Calibogue Sound on the left, a long sand trap in front of the green, and another small green on a course with mostly small greens. A lot of drama here over the years, including last year when Matt Kuchar sank a chip shot to win the tournament over Luke Donald. Kuchar shot a 64 on Sunday last year to pick up the victory.
Note: This course was voted the second best course on the PGA tour in 2012 by PGA professionals in a Golf Digest survey of the 10 top courses on tour.. Augusta National was No.1.
Winner:
I want to start by saying, it's pretty cool that Jordan Spieth is playing this week, as he has been hounded by the media throughout the early part of this week. The Today Show, Letterman, Good Morning America, CNN all have gotten interviews out of Jordan. It's been a whirlwind for the 21-year old phenom. I've picked him twice to win this year at the Valspar Championship in Tampa and the Masters, and Jordan has delivered both times. I can't pick him this week because he's not had much time to practice at all, and I can't see him pulling this off this week. But I do see him contending very soon in the future tournaments, and certainly at the U.S. Open in Chambers Bay, Washington state.
Going with Johnson Wagner this week. The 35 year old Amarillo, Texas native almost pulled it off two weeks ago at the Shell Houston Open, losing in a playoff to J.B. Holmes which kept him from playing at Augusta National. I like the 6'3", 230 pound hoss from Texas to get it done this week. He's clutch. He was clutch two weeks ago making clutch shots and putts throughout the final round. I like Johnson to take home the traditional plaid jacket from Harbour Town. It's not a Green Jacket, but a win's a win on any course on the tour.
