RBC Heritage: Jordan Spieth and Cameron Young look to build on Masters form

The USPGA Tour offers another designated elevated event this week, with the Harbour Town Golf Links hosting the RBC Heritage Classic in South Carolina, where Jordan Spieth is the defending champion.

2023-04-11RBC Heritage: Jordan Spieth and Cameron Young look to build on Masters form

Our main selection from last week enjoyed a comfortable win as Jon Rahm won the US Masters by a tidy four-stroke margin at Augusta National to earn us a total 88-point profit.

Rahm is a 9/1 shot this week, which is pretty much his price for every event, although it might understandably feel a little like 'after the Lord Mayor's show' for Rahmbo after capturing his second major last week.

Scottie Scheffler is the 8/1 favourite this week after playing reasonably well in parts last week, although he is some way off his best game at present, and I do not see this course suiting his game.

And then we have Patrick Cantlay at 12/1, whom I would favour over the top two, but there is not much value at his current odds.

We then jump to 18/1 in the betting, where I would favour defending champion Jordan Spieth based upon him showing he can win here and that he finished last week at Augusta like a birdie machine.

• Tips advised byMartin Colwellwho runshisPuttfordough23$$ golf tipster service onTipstrr

All players will have to contend with a par-71 course that is 7,191 yards in length with tight tree-lined fairways and small greens. 

This is a course which does not necessarily favour the long hitters off the tee, while its dog-leg holes, cunningly placed bunkers and water at every turn make it ideal for the strategic course plotters.

A good short game and a hot putter usually correlate to the past winners here, and as we are on an island buffeted by the Atlantic, strong winds can blow here.

With that in mind, I like the look of Cameron Young this week at around 20/1, and he was only a few late errant shots away from challenging for the coveted Green Jacket on Sunday. 

I fancy his ball-striking skills to serve him well here, plus he now has the services of Webb Simpson's old caddie, Paul Tesori, who knows this course like the back of his hand.

It can surely only be a matter of time before Young wins that elusive first USPGA title.

Other golfers to catch my eye this week include the ubiquitous Sung-Jae Im, whose game is in good order and he keeps hitting top-20 finishes without winning.

Shane Lowry has the ability and imagination to hit a variety of shots, which will come in handy on this course, especially given his capacity to play well in the wind.

Matt Fitzpatrick fits a similar profile and he loves this course, which he used to visit with his family as a youngster. Fitzpatrick appears to be over his injuries now and coming into form following his top-ten finish in the Masters, albeit without seriously threatening to win it.

Outsiders to consider

Chris Kirk found a bit of form again last week at Augusta. He already has a win under his belt this season and is another golfer suited to this course set-up.

Tom Hoge is admittedly a little short of the form that propelled him up the world rankings earlier this year, but his accurate ball-striking off the tee should suit the demands of this course.

JT Poston boasts a good tournament record here, after placing twice in the past three years, and he is my pick of my three outsiders.