2021 RBC Heritage Tips: Hatton coming in hot at Hilton Head
We're back to the regular PGA Tour this week for the RBC Heritage but with a twist. I can't remember a field of this quality lining up at Harbour Town with many Europeans staying on from Augusta last week to play alongside the likes of world number one and this week's favourite Dustin Johnson.
This stacked line up could mean there's some value to be found further down the betting, with the lead guys having the potential of going over the top having been primed for a crack at the first major of the season in Georgia last week.
Johnson missed the cut at Augusta and his form since winning on Tour 10 weeks ago reads 8-54-48-28-MC and he's not someone I could get behind here, even at 12/1.
Course specialist and last year's winner Webb Simpson is a best price 14/1 and someone I put up for the Masters last week. Having shot up to -4 early in his opening round I had high hopes for the week but the American slumped in rounds two and three before bouncing back on Sunday to eventually finish 12th.
He has obvious claims here with a win and two top 5's in his last seven visits but of the players near the head of the betting I'm siding with Tyrrell Hatton this week.
This week's selections:
Not somebody I overly fancied this week but given his price and the way he finished off at the Masters last week I think Tyrrell Hatton is a good bet this week with William Hill going 25/1 and betting each-way down to eight places.
The Englishman has struggled in his three appearances at the Masters coming into last week but managed to get to grips with the course for the first time on Sunday, carding four straight birdies on his back nine in the final round to break 70 for the first time in his career at Augusta and finish inside the top 30.
For a player who isn't afraid to show his emotions, Hatton was beaming at the end of his tournament and I think he can take that good feeling and put it to good use on a course where he finished third last year.
The 29 year old is the 8th best player in the world, has two top tens on the PGA Tour this season and a win on the European Tour in 2021. He broke his PGA Tour duck at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last season and won't be over-awed if in contention here.
Ranking top 20 for shots gained off the tee and 10th for shots gained approaching the green this season on the PGA Tour he's my main bet.
Second up this week is Kevin Na at 40/1 with Betfred paying seven places.
Na clearly loves this place with four top-10s in his last seven visits and he arrives in good form this season with a win at the start of the year in the Sony Open In Hawaii and a tie for 12th last week in the Masters.
Battling back from a first round 75, Na clawed his way back up into the top-15 by Sunday night and he can bring that momentum into Hilton Head.
The Korean/American has shot the lowest round on the PGA Tour this season (61) and if his putter is hot he's ahard man to stop, ranking 3rd for shots gained around the green and 28th for scrambling, the kind of metrics required here to these small greens.
Add to that ranking 21st for driving accuracy, this short, tree-lined set up obviously suits his game.
Finally this week I'm going for Ian Poulter at the right number on a course which suits.
Paddy Power are paying each-way down to eight places this week and I like the 70/1 about Poulter's chances on a course where his form reads 18-54-11-7-10-14 on his past six visits.
Like Na, Poulter ranks in the top 20 in the field for driving accuracy this week and he's also ranking 4th for scrambling this season. We know how good a putter he can be and he's coming in with some decent form having finished in the top ten at the WGC Matchplay and a T26 at the Masters last week where his scoring got progressively better through the week 74-73-72-70.
It's been a while since Poults has won a tournament but he's in surroundings he likes, not a million miles from the family home in Florida and he'll be eyeing a short track like Harbour Town as one where he can benefit.
As ever, good luck with your bets if you're following and please gamble responsibly.
Follow me at Twitter @rustyboy75.
2021 form:
Winners
- Daniel Berger - Pebble Beach Pro-am - advised at 14/1
Placed
- Colin Morikawa - T7 Sony Open In Hawaii - advised at 14/1
- Xander Schauffele - T5 Sentry Tournament of Champions - advised at 10/1
- Russell Henley - T3 Honda Classic - advised at 30/1
