The RBC Heritage is likely one of the PGA Tour’s designated occasions this 12 months, and even though it was once tricky for it to really feel that method coming in off the Masters, the leaderboard is beginning to form up in some way that can persuade you in a different way because the event performs out.
One of closing week’s first-round leaders (Viktor Hovland) is once more main this event — which was once suspended for darkness with six golfers but to entire Round 1 — however he has another large names on his heels like Jordan Spieth, Matt Fitzpatrick, Xander Schauffe, Patrick Cantlay, Sam Burns, Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas.
Let’s check out Hovland’s first around and notice how this event is shaping up for the following few days.
The chief
1. Viktor Hovland (-7): Hovland shot a blank 7-under 64 in the primary around. After a disappointing Masters fade it is a great rebound for him and emblematic of a larger development at the 12 months. After completing T42 on the Phoenix Open, he is proceeded to end T20, T10, T3 and T7 in his closing 4 stroke play occasions. Hovland stated Thursday after his around that he discovered so much from main the Masters after the primary around and transferring backwards over the following 3 days. Part of that was once placing, sure, however a few of it, he stated, was once golfing direction control.
“I didn’t putt it as good the last three rounds last week as I did the first round, which obviously is hard to do,” Hovland stated. “I hit it OK, but I didn’t hit it as great as I did the first round. But I took a big lesson from not short-siding myself as much last week because out there on that golf course on some of those pins, I got a little too greedy and I missed it in the wrong spots, and I just can’t allow myself to do that.
“So this week I’m simply making an attempt to play somewhat extra, no longer conservatively, however ensuring that I hit extra vegetables, heart of the vegetables, and will roughly lean on my putter. And if I do leave out a inexperienced, I think like my quick sport’s in a great spot the place I will make an up and down.”
Hovland once more putted the lighting fixtures out Thursday, main the sphere in that class. Let’s see if that continues and whether or not he makes some higher choices because it relates to method play over the following 54 holes.
Other contenders
T2. Brian Harman, Aaron Rai, Jimmy Walker (-6)
T5. Joel Dahmen, Scott Stallings, Matt Fitzpatrick, Zach Johnson, Justin Rose, Sungjae Im (-5)
T11. Xander Schauffele, Rickie Fowler, Andrew Putnam, Wyndham Clark (-4)
It is smart that Schauffele is taking part in smartly right here. He’s an incredible iron participant taking part in a golfing direction that calls for it. He performed the again in 31 and completed in the highest 5 in the sphere on Thursday in method play.
“I’ve kind of had my head in the sand every time I’ve been here,” Schauffele stated of Harbour Town. “Probably it’s always after a major, so a little bit more tired. So now that I’m a little bit older, I think I can handle it a little bit better maybe. Yeah, the greens are concrete. You have to hit your spots. You’ve got to be smart around the property. It should be a place where I play well, and I just haven’t done it. So why not start now?”
Masters champ struggles
Jon Rahm struggled to a 1-over 72 in Round 1 (8 again of Hovland), however I would not be too involved. Most of his problems have been with the putter, and he’s going to leap again from each that and the fatigue he is definitely feeling at this time. In reality, it would not be surprising if he bounced the entire long ago and completed in the highest 10 this week.
Matt Fitzpatrick, again?
Nobody has had a harder get started to 2023 when compared to the place I assumed he can be than Fitzpatrick. I assumed he had “could challenge for No. 1 in the world in 2023” written far and wide him, however he has been pedestrian for many of the season. This has most commonly been on account of damage, however he rebounded somewhat with a T10 on the Masters closing week (simply his 2nd most sensible 10 since January) and performed drastically on Thursday in the primary around. His finishes at this direction are nice — two most sensible 15s in the closing 3 years — although he stated he does not in particular really feel find it irresistible suits his sport. He’s leaning on that great Masters consequence and making an attempt to get issues rolling forward of the following 3 majors.
“There were definitely a lot of positives for me [last week],” he stated. “Yeah, there was a lot of positives. I spoke a lot about expectations the start of the week and how it felt coming into the Masters. I felt like because of that, I kind of just understood where my game was, and then I felt like that gave me almost a little bit more freedom to kind of just play. I feel like the same here with this week is just having those expectations of the right spot, and it can go in and kind of freewheel a little bit.”
2023 RBC Heritage up to date odds, choices
Odds by way of Caesars Sportsbook
- Viktor Hovland: 4-1
- Scottie Scheffler: 9-1
- Sungjae Im: 10-1
- Matt Fitzpatrick: 12-1
- Xander Schauffele: 14-1
- Brian Harman: 16-1
These are all positive, however let’s get loopy with Rahm at 65-1. He’s most effective 8 again, which is not anything for him. Fatigue will probably be a topic, definitely, however 65-1 for any individual taking part in at that stage is not out of achieve in any respect.
Rick Gehman is joined by way of Kyle Porter to talk about Round 1 of the RBC Heritage. The staff discusses Rory McIlroy lacking out on $3 Million for lacking the RBC Heritage and the brand new FedEx Cup Fall plan from the PGA Tour. Follow & pay attention to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
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