The 2024 PGA Tour season draws to a close this week as it visits Sea Island Resort for the 2024 The RSM Classic. For the 10th straight year, the event will be held at two courses: the Plantation Corse, playing as a Par 72, 7,060 yard layout this week, and the Seaside Course, playing as a Par 70, 7,005 yard layout. Following this week, the top 125 players in the FedEx Fall Standings will retain their tour cards for 2025, while those ranked from 51-60 will gain access to the first two Signature Events of 2025, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Genesis Invitational.
With ocean views, swirling winds and relatively flat holes, this is one of the few links-esque type courses the tour visits here in the United States each season. Because of that, ball striking will be placed at a premium, with cooler temperatures and the possibility of trying weather conditions ready to pop up at any possible moment. Both courses are relatively short by tour standards, so low scoring is an absolute must if you want any chance of being in the picture come Sunday. With each of the last nine winners finishing at -17 or better for the week, I want someone who isn’t afraid to be aggressive with their irons to give themselves a chance on the greens and is on a bit of a heater with their putter to help vault their way up the leaderboard. Finally, this week will serve as the changing of the guard for next year, with players either comfortably on their way to a tour card for next season, with those right on the cusp of retaining their card or losing it and those who are so far down the standings it will take a minor miracle to get their card for next season. The on-course action will be excellent, per usual, but keep track of those scoreboards as the week progresses to see who is primed to make that final push and for those who have finally run out of steam.
The RSM Classic was first held in 2010 and has produced a mixed bag of winners through the years, including Heath Slocum, Ben Crane, Tommy Gainey, Chris Kirk, Robert Streb, Kevin Kisner, Mackenzie Hughes, Austin Cook, Charles Howell IIi, Tyler Duncan, Talor Gooch, Adam Svensson and Ludvig Åberg, just to name a few. Robert Streb is the only multi-time winner of this event, taking the victory in both 2014 and 2020.
The 18-hole scoring record is 60, which was achieved by the following players, all taking place on the Seaside Course:
- Tommy Gainey – Round 4, 2012.
- Sebastián Munoz – Round 1, 2021.
- Tyler McCumber – Round 4, 2021.
- Mackenzie Hughes – Round 3, 2023.
The 72-hole scoring record is 253 (-29), which was fachieved by Ludvig Åberg during his victory here last year.
Last year’s edition was won by Ludvig Åberg, who fired a pair of 61’s on the weekend to tie the lowest 72-hole total score in tour history and take home his first PGA Tour victory in just his 16th start on tour. Mackenzie Hughes finished in the runner-up position, four strokes back, while Tyler Duncan and Eric Cole finished T-3, seven strokes off the pace, Adam Svensson, Ben Kohles and Denny McCarthy all finished T-5, 10 strokes back of Åberg,
Andrew Novak has had an up and down season, with a WD and missed cut, followed by a couple good weeks of playing. His game is unstable and while he has his moments, I don’t think he will shine at Sea Island. His putting seems to let him down the most, and I think he will struggle with the greens this week.
Mark Hubbard is one of my favorites. He is playing some good golf, coming off a T3 in Bermuda, and is filled with some confidence. If he can continue with that aggressive playing mentality we’ve seen, he definitely has a chance here to shine.
Ben Griffin seems to be a favorite in the sports betting world. His game is sneaky and he is due. If he gets his approach shots to dance here, he can definitely make the top ten. He is ranked 35th in Approach and 24th in Around the Green. That should call for a top ten with no problems.
Mackenzie Hughes is my pick for taking home the win. He has had success here in the past and seems to like the course. His game has gotten stronger and his putting has really been strong all fall. He has no excuse to go execute a great tournament!
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