RBC Heritage tips: Max Homa to build on strong Masters showing, Jordan Spieth ready to bounce back

RBC Heritage key stats:

• When: April 18-21 2024
• Where: Harbour Town Golf Links, South Carolina 
• How long: 7,213 yards - par 71
• What to expect: Coastal often wind-affected course, tight tree-lined fairways, water everywhere, plenty of dog-legs, tricky domed greens
• Who won last year: Matt Fitzpatrick (-17) 

The heritage is another signature event with a bumper prize pot at stake, and Scottie Scheffler will tee off as the short-priced favourite, which is no surprise after comfortably winning his second Masters title last week at a similar low price. The world number one has now won three of his last four starts and was one narrowly-missed putt away from forcing a play-off in the other. 

Scheffler and his wife are awaiting the arrival of their first child, and his rivals here could be forgiven for secretly hoping that she gives them a chance by going into labour before Sunday afternoon, although with all that is going on, Scottie could be forgiven for being slightly off his game on a course that may not suit him.

Xander Schauffele is 11/1 this week after his placed finish in the Masters, and although the current Olympic champion is playing well, he might be a better top-ten-finish bet as he is struggling to convert his good play into a win lately.

Rory McIlroy will no doubt be a popular bet at 12/1 despite appearing to be off his game these days, especially his inability to convert his stellar drives into decent birdie opportunities.

This course may hinder Rory if he needs to dial back his driving, and his price depends on him displaying his real talent in a tournament in which he has no track record as such.

Max Homa contended last week, and despite going 34 holes without a birdie between Friday and Sunday he managed to share third place with Collin Morikawa. 

It might have been even better had his tee shot at the short 12th hole not buried itself among the flowers for a double-bogey, although in truth his game was never on the same level as the eventual winner.

He went into the Masters with little top-ten form to speak of, but this course should suit better and his game looks in good order, so he could be flying in under the radar at 22/1.

Suggested bet: Max Homa (22/1) each-way in the RBC Heritage

Ludwig Aberg was an eye-catching runner-up in his first ever Major last week at Augusta, and might have given Scheffler a less comfortable back-nine, had he not found the water with an errant approach at the 11th hole. 

His game looks in good shape to land a Major sooner rather than later, and although we have no course history to go on for the Swedish star, the same could have been said regarding Augusta, and if he plays as well as he did last week, his 12/1 available will look good value. 

Jordan Spieth has been in poor form recently, despite kicking off his season with a promising third place at the Sentry in Hawaii, followed shortly by a sixth-placed finish at the Phoenix Open.

His disqualification at the Genesis for signing the wrong score triggered a decline in his game that has seen him miss the cut three times in his last four starts (10th at the Texas Open in between), culminating in a chastening quadruple-bogey nine at the par-five 15th at Augusta which cost him a weekend at The Masters.

All that said, Spieth did win here in 2022 and was runner-up last year after losing his play-off with Matt Fitzpatrick, so clearly this looks like one of his best courses to play as long as he can shake off the demons of the last few weeks.

If he can avoid those costly errors and rediscover anything like his best game at Harbour Links, then 28/1 could prove excellent value.

Suggested bet: Jordan Spieth (20/1) each-way in the RBC Heritage

Patrick Cantlay also has a great course record here, missing out in a play-off to Spieth in 2022 and third last season, so could this be his year?

He went four over par on the final day at the Masters when he really needed to go four under, but his 22nd place was no disgrace, and although he has not won for a while, 16/1 could represent good each-way value on a track that clearly suits

It’s been a roller-coaster campaign for Adam Hadwin, but in between the missed cuts and the down-the-field finishes (he was tied for 53rd at Augusta on +12) he finished sixth at the American Express, fourth at the Genesis and fifth at the Valspar, so his best game is clearly enough to make him competitive. 

The Canadian has a good short game in his bag, which is invaluable on this course, and for outsider value he catches the eye at 85/1

Suggested bet: Adam Hadwin (85/1) each-way in the RBC Heritage

Suggested bet summary:

• Max Homa (22/1) - 2 points each-way 
• Jordan Spieth  (28/1) - 2.5 points each-way
• Adam Hadwin  (85/1) - 0.5 points each-way