Paulie’s Picks: 2020 RSM Classic

The RSM Classic, held on St. Simons Island in Georgia, consists of 156 players. The first two rounds will be contested on the Seaside and Plantation courses at Sea Island Golf Club. Players who make the cut will play their final two rounds on the Seaside course.

Both courses are short by PGA Tour standards, barely over 7,000 yards. The areas of greatest importance this week will be short irons, wedges, and putting. The usual advantage that tour venues give to distance off the tee will be muted a bit here. Since Sea Island’s Bermuda greens are fairly large and players will have a lot of short approaches into them, there will be a high percentage of greens hit in regulation. That will lessen the importance of chipping and pitching.

Let’s look at some players who excel in short approaches and putting:

DraftKings

Webb Simpson $11,200

Simpson is my top-rated player this week and thoroughly deserving of the $11,200 price tag. Given that he’s top 30 in birdies, accuracy off the tee, around the greens, putting, approach, and wedge proximity, it’s no mystery why he finished second and third at the RSM Classic the past two years. He has also been ultra-consistent recently, having finished in the top 20 in 19 of his past 24 starts, as well as in all of his past seven events.

Davis Thompson $6,300

A relative unknown at the moment, Davis Thompson should become a very familiar name over the next few years. In fact, I’d say he has a shot at becoming the next Collin Morikawa or Matthew Wolff. The No. 1 amateur in the world, Thompson made some noise at the U.S. Open earlier this year when he shot 69 in the first round and found himself on the first page of the leaderboard. He currently lives in St. Simons, Georgia, so he knows Sea Island Golf Club well. Thompson, a University of Georgia Bulldog, finished fourth in the 2019 SEC Championship, which was held at Sea Island. He even played in the RSM Classic last year, placing a respectable 23rd. Thompson is an elite ball-striker who can make birdies in bunchesm, so $6,300 is a gift of a price.

One-and-Done

Most leagues ended with the Masters last week, but if yours is still going, here are two players to consider whom you probably still have available:

Sebastián Muñoz

In his past nine starts on the PGA Tour, Muñoz has finished in the top 30 eight times and in the top 20 six times. He also placed third at Sea Island a year ago. While a below-average putter on non-Bermuda greens (113th), Muñoz is near the top on Bermuda greens (14th), and Bermuda is what we have this week.

Kevin Kisner

Kisner has finished seventh or better in four of his past six appearances at the RSM Classic, and he won in 2015. He has also broken into the top 25 in seven of his past ten starts. A great fit for this course, Kisner is top 30 in approach, putting, accuracy off the tee, birdies, and wedge proximity.