The RSM Classic Betting Preview
The 2025 PGA Tour heads back stateside for the conclusion of the FedExCup fall for this week's The RSM Classic at Sea Island Golf Club in Saint Simons Island, Georgia. The 156-player field will rotate between the Plantation Course and Seaside Course over the first two rounds with those making the cut playing the weekend at the latter. With many players residing on Sea Island, we have a stronger field than usual for the fall that includes six top-50 players in the OWGR and is headlined by tournament favorite Harris English at 18-1 odds. Last year, Maverick McNealy (35-1) outlasted Daniel Berger, Luke Clanton and Nico Echavarria by one stroke for his first professional victory.
All odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 12:30 PM ET Wednesday
Course Overview
Par 70, 7,005 yards (Seaside); Par 72, 7,060 yards (Plantation)
These are the average rankings of RSM Classic winners since 2020:
- SG: Off-the-Tee: 20.6
- SG: Approach: 14.6
- SG: Around-the-Green: 18.0
- SG: Putting: 6.4
- SG: Tee-to-Green: 9.2
- Driving Distance: 30.2
- Driving Accuracy: 26.4
Once again the Tour heads to a short course(s), but unlike the last two tournaments we finally have strokes gained data to draw from. Note that it's only from the Seaside course that hosts three of the four rounds. Both venues are roughly 7,000 yards, but the Plantation course will play lower to par as it has two extra scoring opportunities with four par-5s. The fairways are generous, averaging approximately 40 yards wide but the premium is more on accuracy as their are four holes with water in play off the tee. Combine that with only three of the par-4s playing over 450 yards and we'll see players use less than driver often. Right on the Georgia coastline, windy conditions are often the biggest defense, but the forecast looks mild in that regard this week so I wouldn't be surprised to see the scores lower than the 16-under that won last year. In addition to short hitters, I'm mostly looking to target good iron players from 150-200 yards and quality putters.
Sea Island Superstars
The following golfers have the lowest scoring average at The RSM Classic over the last five years:
- Mackenzie Hughes: 66.8
- Eric Cole: 67.0
- Adam Svensson: 67.4
- Nico Echavarria: 67.7
- Seamus Power: 67.8
Hughes has saved some of his best golf for the closing event of the year, where he won in his debut back in 2016 and has been runner up twice since 2021 on top of finishing T5 last year. That's incredibly good for anyone, yet alone someone that has rarely been inside the top-50 of the OWGR throughout his career. Coming off back-to-back missed cuts, the oddsmakers aren't giving him much respect at 60-1 odds. Meanwhile, a little farther up the betting board we find Echavarria at 45-1, and the two-time Tour winner has been consistent at the event with six of his 10 career rounds being 67 or better. This is an important week for him at 62nd in the standings with the top-60 getting into the first two signature events of 2026.
Approach Specialists
These five golfers, on a per-round basis, have gained the most strokes on approach across their last 20 rounds:
- Ben Kohles: 1.23
- Rico Hoey: 1.21
- Daniel Berger: 0.87
- Austin Eckroat: 0.79
- Greyson Sigg: 0.75
You can take these stats with a grain of salt considering that we haven't had strokes gained data the last two events and we have some players in the field that haven't played much this fall. Nevertheless, the top two players on the list both rank in the top-10 in SG: Approach on the season, headlined by Kohles. He's going to need to win retain his Tour card, and he does have one top-5 here across three appearances. Another darkhorse on this list is University of Georgia alum and Sea Island resident Sigg. He's been trending in the right direction this fall, making the cut in all five events he's played with three top-25s. He's shown form at his home course as well with a pair of top-15s over the last three years.
The RSM Classic Bets: Outright Picks
Si Woo Kim (22-1)
Kim stands out as one of the best ball strikers in this field as he ranks 36th in SG: Off-the-Tee, 30th in approach and 25th in driving accuracy. He's played in Europe twice this fall, most notably finishing T5 against a strong field at the BMW Championship. Good value on the four-time winner.
J.T. Poston (30-1)
Poston is another Sea Island resident whose local knowledge showed last year as he led the field in SG: Approach and had the lowest weekend score of 13-under en route to a top-5 finish. He won in the fall last year and is safely locked into all the signature events next year.
Doug Ghim (60-1)
At 125th in the points list, this is Ghim's last opportunity to retain full status for next season. That's surprising considering he ranks in the top-20 in SG: Tee-to-Green, approach and driving accuracy. If (and that's a big if) he can find some rare form on the greens, he's capable of contending.
The RSM Classic Bets: Top-10 Wagers
Johnny Keefer (11-2)
Keefer's in the field for a second time this fall via a sponsor exemption, and it's hard to pass up on the Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year at these odds after he posted a top-10 in 39 percent of starts at the lower level.
Zac Blair (7-1)
I hit a top-10 with Blair at the same odds last week, so why not go right back to the well? After all, this is another venue that the short hitter can contend at. I'll bank that the iron specialist can keep the momentum rolling in Sea Island.
Brandt Snedeker (8-1)
Snedeker has had a solid fall with a pair of top-20s across five events, highlighted by a top-10 in Utah. He was never a long hitter, and at 44-years-old, he's one of the shortest on Tour. But he's also one of the most accurate and has a solid short game. This is rare spot to target him.
The RSM Classic Bets: Head-to-Head Matchups
Matt Wallace (+100) over Vince Whaley
It's a much more important week for Wallace, who sits 102nd in the FedExCup Fall Standings after missing the cut by a shot in Bermuda. I like him as the better course fit over Whaley, who is more sporadic off the tee while Wallace has the superior iron and around the green play. I view this more of a 50/50 type matchup, so I'm happy to take Wallace at even money.
Takumi Kanaya (-115) over Michael Brennan
After winning in his first professional PGA Tour start last month with four rounds of 67 or better, Brennan's failed to go that low in any of his eight rounds since. I'll fade him against Kanaya, who has two top-5s across his last four starts. Like Wallace, he needs to at least make the cut as he's on the bubble at 99th on the points list. I like his course fit as one of the most accurate drivers on Tour.
New to golf betting? Check out the best golf betting promos to find the sportsbook that's right for you, featuring the top sign-up bonuses.
