Steve Palmer's RBC Heritage predictions and free golf betting tips

When to bet

By 11.45am on Thursday

Where to watch the RBC Heritage

Live on Sky Sports Main Event and Golf from midday on Thursday

Steve Palmer's RBC Heritage predictions

Matt Kuchar
1.5pts each-way 50-1 bet365

Christiaan Bezuidenhout
1pt each-way 100-1 general

JT Poston
1pt each-way 66-1 bet365

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Money makes the world go round and most people would be thrilled to get the chance to compete for a $3.6 million prize in the RBC Heritage this week, but many of the multi-millionaires in attendance at Harbour Town Links would probably rather be elsewhere.

The PGA Tour have given the Heritage 'elevated' status this year, meaning the elite are obliged to tee up, but passion for competition after a long, wet, mentally draining Masters is unlikely. The top players are allowed to skip one of the elevated events each season without punishment, but more than one means a reduction in PIP (Players Impact Program) payments.

Rory McIlroy, obviously devastated by his Masters failure, withdrew from the Heritage on Monday despite having already missed an elevated event (Sentry Tournament of Champions). Masters champion Jon Rahm and world number two Scottie Scheffler remain in the Heritage field, but neither can be expected to be fully focused on the tournament so soon after the Augusta showpiece.

Steve Palmer's top tip

Matt Kuchar 50-1

With the elite lacking focus, energy and determination after the Masters, this could be a week for Matt Kuchar to reclaim a place in the world's top 50 by claiming a second Heritage title.

Kuchar won this tournament in 2014 and has always relished his trips to the Harbour Town Links. In 2005, he had missed three consecutive PGA Tour cuts before arriving at Harbour Town – and he missed five cuts in a row after leaving – but he still managed to finish tenth in the Heritage. Even when on a torrid run of form, the Floridian was able to score well on this layout.

Kuchar was seventh in 2008, 14th in 2010, fifth in 2015, ninth in 2016, 11th in 2017, runner-up in 2019 (beaten by a shot) and third last year. His one weakness – a lack of driving distance – is not a significant handicap at Harbour Town. Tidy approach-play, allied to chipping and putting well, is the reason Kuchar has thrived on this track.

Coming into this particular edition, Kuchar has got his tail up. He started the year with seventh place in the Sony Open, then was eighth in a top-class Genesis Invitational, before a confidence-boosting run to the knockout stages of the WGC-Match Play, where he was thrilled to learn he had tied Tiger Woods for the most matches won in that event.

Kuchar beat Viktor Hovland in the Match Play and topped his group, before finishing third in the Texas Open last time out. He was gutted to miss the Masters, but it means he is fresh and hungry for the Heritage. The 44-year-old, a nine-time PGA Tour champion, can reach double-figures on Sunday.

Next best bet

Christiaan Bezuidenhout 100-1

Four of the last seven winners of the Heritage have been PGA Tour maidens. This is obviously a much more difficult Heritage to win given the quality of field, but Christiaan Bezuidenhout seems well capable of threatening to bolster the statistic.

Bezuidenhout, who has won three times on the DP World Tour and made his Presidents Cup debut last year, has an ideal game for the Harbour Town Links. Like Kuchar, his lack of driving distance is a non-issue on a course which is much more about shot-shaping and finesse. The South African's accuracy and short-game class stand him in great stead, so expect him to build on solid Heritage results of 28-33.

Bezuidenhout is rounding nicely into form, having finished 13th in the Players Championship and 28th in the Texas Open.

Other selection

JT Poston 66-1

Complete a three-pronged each-way attack with a Carolinian who is comfortable in this part of the world. JT Poston, who graduated from Western Carolina University, is a two-time PGA Tour champion who made his breakthrough in North Carolina – in the 2019 Wyndham Championship.

Poston notched his second victory in the John Deere Classic last year and a strong hat-trick bid can be expected at the Harbour Town Links, where he boasts form figures of 6-8-MC-3. The 29-year-old closed with a 64 in last year's Heritage and possesses all the tools to tame this track.

Poston was tenth in the Valspar Championship a month ago, then won all three of his group matches in the WGC-Match Play, claiming the scalps of Tommy Fleetwood, Sungjae Im and Maverick McNealy. Poston then gave Scottie Scheffler a fright in their last-16 encounter, losing on the 18th green.

Last week Poston, teeing up in only his second Masters, finished a creditable 34th, closing with a 70 – a score beaten by only six players in the field.

Harbour Town Links course guide

Course Harbour Town Links, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Prize money $20m ($3.6m to the winner)
Length 7,213 yards
Par 71 – three par-fives; 11 par-fours; four par-threes
Field 143 The cut Top 65 and ties qualify for round three
Highest-ranked players in field (world ranking in brackets) Jon Rahm (1), Scottie Scheffler (2), Patrick Cantlay (4), Xander Schauffele (6), Max Homa (7)
Course records - 72 holes 262 Webb Simpson (2020) 18 holes 61 David Frost (1994), Troy Merritt (2015)

Course winners taking part Davis Love (five times), Stewart Cink (three times), Brian Gay, Jim Furyk (twice), Matt Kuchar, Wesley Bryan, Satoshi Kodaira, C.T Pan, Webb Simpson, Jordan Spieth

When to bet By 11.45am on Thursday

When to watch Live on Sky Sports Main Event and Golf from midday on Thursday

Time difference South Carolina is five hours behind the UK and Ireland

Last week – The Masters 1 J Rahm (9-1), T2 B Koepka (40-1), P Mickelson (200-1), T4 J Spieth (16-1), P Reed (66-1), R Henley (150-1), T7 C Young (28-1), V Hovland (35-1), 9 S Theegala (110-1), T10 M Fitzpatrick (45-1), S Scheffler (7-1), X Schauffele (25-1), C Morikawa (25-1)

Course type Links

Course overview Harbour Town Links is a Pete Dye design, created in 1969 and revised in 2000. Players will only score well with straight hitting to tight targets and good scrambling around some of the smallest greens on the circuit

Story of last year Jordan Spieth defeated Patrick Cantlay in a playoff after both tied on 13 under par

Weather forecast Sunny, calm and pleasant for the most part, but a thunderstorm threat for Friday and Sunday

Type of player suited to the challenge Accurate approaches to tiny greens is essential for success. Sharp scramblers also prosper

Key attribute Accuracy