RBC Heritage Rankings 2023, scores: Viktor Hovland takes the lead, Jon Rahm struggles in Round 1
The RBC Heritage is one of the PGA Tour’s designated events this year, and while it’s hard to feel that way leaving the Masters, the standings are starting to take shape in a way that might convince you as the tournament progresses. take place outside.
One of last week’s first-round leads (Viktor Hovland) is once again leading this tournament – the tournament has been suspended in the dark with six golfers not finishing Round 1 – but he has some names Other adults followed closely such as Jordan Spieth, Matt Fitzpatrick, Xander Schauffe, Patrick Cantlay, Sam Burns, Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas.
Let’s take a look back at Hovland’s first round and see how the tournament unfolds over the next few days.
Leader
1. Viktor Hovland (-7): Hovland cleared 7 under 64 in the first round. After a disappointing Masters season, it was a nice rebound for him and a symbol of a bigger trend for the year. After finishing T42 at the Phoenix Open, he went on to finish T20, T10, T3 and T7 in his last four stroke events. Hovland said Thursday after his round that he’s learned a lot from leading the Masters after the first round and going back and forth over the next three days. Part of that is booking, he said, but some of it is golf course management.
“I didn’t hit the ball as well in the last three innings last week as I did in the first, which is obviously very difficult to do,” Hovland said. “I’m fine, but I’m not as good as I was in the first round. But I’ve learned a big lesson not to overplay myself as much as I did last week because out there on that golf course there are a few of these guys. that pin, I was a bit too greedy and I missed it in the wrong places, and I can’t allow myself to do that.
“So this week I’m just trying to play a little bit more, not being cautious, but making sure I hit more greens, stay in between the greens and can lean on my putter. And if I do hit the greens. slip a green, I feel like my short game is in a good position for me to go up and down.”
Hovland turned off the lights again on Thursday, leading the field in that category. Let’s see if that continues and if he makes some better decisions as it relates to his approach to gameplay over the next 54 holes.
other candidates
T2. Brian Harman, Aaron Rai, Jimmy Walker (-6)
T5. Joel Dahmen, Scott Stallings, Matt Fitzpatrick, Zach Johnson, Justin Rose, Sungjae Im (-5)
T11. Xander Schauffele, Rickie Fowler, Andrew Putnam, Wyndham Clark (-4)
It makes sense that Schauffele is doing well here. He’s a great iron when playing a golf course demands it. He played full-back at the age of 31 and finished in the top five of the pitch on Thursday in approach play.
Schauffele said of Harbor Town: “I feel dizzy every time I come here. “Maybe it’s always after a major, so it’s a bit more tiring. So now that I’m a little older, I think maybe I can handle it a little better. Yes, the green is calf.” cardboard. You have to hit the points. You have to be smart around the property. It has to be a place where I play well, and I haven’t. So why not start now?”
Masters Championship Struggle
Jon Rahm struggled to go 1 of 72 in Round 1 (eight behind Hovland), but I wouldn’t be too worried. Most of his problems are with the putter, and he will recover from both that problem and the fatigue he is certainly feeling right now. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if he came back and finished in the top 10 this week.
Matt Fitzpatrick, back?
No one has had a tougher start to 2023 than where I think he will be than Fitzpatrick. I thought he wrote “may challenge for world No. 1 in 2023” on him, but he’s been walking for most of the season. This is mainly due to injury, but he recovered a bit with T10 at the Masters last week (just his second top 10 since January) and played very well on Thursday in the first round. His track record on this course has been excellent — twice in the top 15 in the past three years — although he says he doesn’t particularly feel it fits his game. He’s leaning on that nice Masters result and trying to get everything done before the next three majors.
“Definitely a lot of positive things for me [last week]”, he said. “Yes, there are a lot of positives. I talked a lot about the expectations at the beginning of the week and the feeling of being in the Masters. Thanks to that, I felt like I understood where my game was, and then I felt that gave me almost a little more freedom to play. I feel the same thing here with this week just having expectations about the right place, and it can come in and be a little bit free.”
2023 RBC Heritage updated odds, picks
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook
- Viktor Hovland: 4-1
- Scottie Scheffler: 9-1
- Sungjae Im: 10-1
- Matt Fitzpatrick: 12-1
- Xander Schauffele: 14-1
- Brian Harman: 16-1
All is well, but let’s go crazy with Rahm 65-1. He was just eight years old again, that was nothing to him. Fatigue will certainly be an issue, but 65-1 for a player of that level is not out of reach at all.
Rick Gehman with Kyle Porter discussing Round 1 of the RBC Legacy. The team discusses how Rory McIlroy missed out on $3 million by missing out on the RBC Heritage and new FedEx Cup fall plans from the PGA Tour. Follow and listen to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts And Spotify.
