2023 RSM Classic: Eric Cole shares Round 1 lead with Rookie of the Year honors, Masters invite on the line
Eric Cole has played golf all over the world on just about every tour on just about every type of golf course known to man. At 35, he is just now about to finish his first season with the PGA Tour, during which he teed it up in 38 tournaments. Bursting onto the scene with a playoff defeat to Chris Kirk at the Honda Classic, the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year honors has a dream opportunity to end his dream year in fashion after an opening 6-under 66 at the 2023 RSM Classic.
Round 1 action at Sea Island was suspended due to darkness with Cole, Cameron Young and Davis Thompson sharing the top spot on the leaderboard.
“It was a good day, scored well and kind of stayed somewhat patient, stayed relatively patient with a lot going on, so it was good … any tournament I come to I try and be prepared and play as well as I can,” said Cole. “You know, I got my fiancée and her parents here and my mom here, so just trying to have a good week and we’ll see where the weekend goes.”
Cole has had many good weeks throughout his freshman campaign. In addition to his runner-up at the Honda Classic, the former mini tour legend has contended at tournaments such as the Mexico Open and the Canadian Open. In only his second start in a major championship, Cole slept on the lead after Day 1 of the PGA Championship. Closer to 40 than he is 30, Cole is experiencing a number of firsts, something that is growing increasingly rare for a game growing increasingly young.
The smooth-swinging right hander need not to be playing this time of year. Bids to play in the first two signature events of 2024 and playing privileges are on the line, but Cole already has his locked up. Despite finishing inside the top 50 of the FedEx Cup, Cole has taken the FedEx Cup Fall by storm.
Three top fives across his four outings, highlighted by his runner-up to Collin Morikawa at the Zozo Championship, Cole now has another first directly in sight: The Masters. With the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings by the end of the calendar receiving an invitation to Augusta National for 2024, the world No. 48 is on the inside track to see the first major championship of the season for the first time in his career.
“I just kind of keep an eye on it [his world ranking] here and there,” said Cole. “I had some people text me that I was in the top 50 in the world so looked it up. Yeah, just kind of there’s a lot of downtime in golf, so in between rounds, take a peak at it.”
A victory come Sunday would also suffice. A man who has wanted for his entire to career to play on the PGA Tour and on the biggest stages in golf, Cole has had to wait longer than most. The waiting game is now over, and for the first time Cole has the world of golf at his fingertips.
