Steve Palmer's RSM Classic third-round preview, best bets, free golf tips

Where to watch

Sky Sports Golf, 6pm Saturday

Best bets

Seamus Power to win the RSM Classic
1pt each-way 14-1 bet365, Betfred

Mackenzie Hughes to win the RSM Classic
1pt each-way 8-1 general

Story so far

Talor Gooch leads the RSM Classic by a shot going into the weekend - the in-form Oklahoman handling the strong Friday breezes better than most.

Gooch, who turned 30 last week still awaiting his PGA Tour breakthrough, followed a 64 at the Plantation Course with a 65 at the Seaside Course in this two-track event. The ante-post 40-1 chance has become 7-2 with 36 holes to play.

Pre-tournament favourite Scottie Scheffler is seven shots off the pace. Scheffler followed a Thursday 63 with a Friday 73. Webb Simpson, second in the ante-post betting is on the same score as Scheffler.

Among those to miss the cut, which fell at four under par, were Harris English, Jason Day, Max Homa, Joaquin Niemann and Kevin Kisner. Louis Oosthuizen withdrew after round one with a back injury.

Leaderboard
-13 Talor Gooch
-12 John Huh, Sebastian Munoz
-11 Taylor Moore, Mackenzie Hughes
-10 Scott Stallings, Zach Johnson, Seamus Power
-9 Tom Hoge, Corey Conners, David Skinns
-8 Jim Herman, Lee Hodges, Russell Henley
-7 Brendan Steele, JJ Spaun, Chez Reavie, Justin Rose, Lanto Griffin, Max McGreevy, Aaron Rai, Luke List, Sung Kang, Keith Mitchell, Cameron Smith, Adam Hadwin, Russell Knox, William McGirt, Matthias Schwab

Best prices
7-2 T Gooch, 8 S Munoz, M Hughes, 10 J Huh, T Moore, 12 C Conners, 14 S Power, 20 R Henley, 22 Z Johnson, 25 C Smith, S Stallings, 33 T Hoge, 40 bar

Third-round preview

Talor Gooch has been a leaderboard regular over the last couple of months, finishing fourth in the Fortinet Championship, 11th in the Shriners Children's Open, fifth in the CJ Cup and 11th in the World Wide Technology Championship.

The maiden has failed to seize these opportunities to seriously threaten a PGA Tour trophy, though, and 60th place in the Houston Open last week suggested his purple patch may be over.

Two superb rounds in Sea Island, Georgia, this week have raised hopes again for Gooch that he can claim some silverware, but with two rounds to go at a windswept Seaside Course, he makes no appeal at just 7-2 for victory.

The weather forecast is for a windy Saturday followed by a calmer Sunday. All the cut-makers will be at the more exposed Seaside Course for both rounds.

Racing Post Sport's pre-tournament headline recommendation, Cameron Smith, is still in the hunt from a tie for 15th, six shots off the pace, but it may be time to bolster the stable for a wide-open event. Former champion Mackenzie Hughes and the much improved Seamus Power make most appeal.

Hughes won the 2016 RSM - his only Tour title - and there seems every chance he could follow the example of Robert Streb and make his second Tour trophy a second RSM success. Hughes has been in fine fettle lately, including fourth place in the Zozo Championship, and is well equipped to handle the Seaside Course assignment.

Power has struggled in previous RSM Classics, but he is a different player these days. Victory in the Barbasol in July has been surrounded by a series of impressive efforts. The Irishman, superb around the greens, is a great fit for the Seaside Course and should be in the mix throughout the weekend.

The final threeball of Gooch, John Huh and Sebastian Munoz is scheduled to tee off at 4.15pm UK and Ireland time, Saturday.

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