The most important event of the year is followed by one of the biggest on the PGA Tour calendar as players make the trip from Augusta, Georgia, to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, for the latest signature event at the 2024 RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links.
In total, 69 players will tee it up in the Palmetto State with 26 of the top 30 players in the Official World Golf Rankings jostling to enter the winner's circle. While some big names like Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Wyndham Clark were nowhere to be seen over the weekend at Augusta National, they need not worry about that this week with the RBC Heritage being a no-cut event.
As such, the stars will be around for all four days, and there are none shining brighter than world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. Scheffler's grip on the world of golf tightens by the week as he can do no wrong when he steps onto a golf course. Fresh off his Masters victory, the Texan remains in the field for the RBC Heritage and searches for yet another trophy to add to his mantle. The impending birth of his first child may be the only thing to get in the way of his fourth win in his last five starts.
Just because other players may be helpless does not mean they are not playing quality golf in their own right. Xander Schauffele has been brilliant in 2024, Ludvig Åberg's stock has skyrocketed and Tommy Fleetwood remains ultra consistent, but none of that has been enough to usurp Scheffler.
Rory McIlroy has been solid as well, but he looks to add a spark to his season following another disappointing Masters outing. The Northern Irishman makes only his third start at Harbour Town after missing out on last year's festivities. Defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick, 2022 champion Jordan Spieth and other big-time names like Max Homa, Will Zalatoris and Collin Morikawa look to enter the winner's circle for the first time in 2024.
2024 RBC Heritage schedule
Dates: Apr. 18-21 | Location: Harbour Town Golf Links — Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Par: 71 | Yardage: 7,213 | Purse: $20,000,000
2024 RBC Heritage field, odds
- Scottie Scheffler (4-1)
- Xander Schauffele (10-1): If not for Scheffler, Schauffele's game would be getting a lot more praise. He is now up to No. 3 in the OWGR and ranks second in total strokes gained over the last three months behind only Scheffler. Schauffele has simply been brilliant in 2024 with seven top 10s in 11 tournaments, including close calls at the Players Championship and Genesis Invitational. While he has not yet crossed the finish line, the Olympic gold medalist should sooner rather than later if he keeps up this level of performance.
- Rory McIlroy (12-1): McIlroy has been good but not great in 2024. He has rattled off six straight top-25 finishes with his T22 at the Masters, but that is hardly the barometer by which the four-time major champion gauges his success. He continues to drive the golf ball effectively, but shortcomings in his game appear with his short irons and short game. McIlroy skipped this event last season after a disappointing missed cut and will be making his first appearance since 2020 when it was held in June due to COVID-19.
- Ludvig Åberg (12-1): It's hard not to consider Åberg as one of the top five players in the world at the moment. The young Swede has now finished inside the top 25 in seven straight tournaments with runner-up results at last week's Masters and the shortened AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He's doing everything well at the moment; his iron play has made a significant step since his rookie season and his putter has been lights out. It's only a matter of time he picks off another trophy.
- Patrick Cantlay (14-1)
- Tommy Fleetwood (18-1)
- Collin Morikawa (18-1): The Masters reminded us that Morikawa is a gamer. Even without his best stuff, the two-time major champion finds a way to muster together something and contend on golf's biggest stage. His play at Augusta National marked his best ball-striking performance since The Sentry, so he has some momentum going forward. Morikawa had been experiencing a frustrating few months, but if the form is for real, then those shortcomings should be no more.
- Max Homa (25-1)
- Matt Fitzpatrick (25-1): It has been a really strong month for the Englishman. Fitzpatrick has now experienced three straight quality outings with a top five at the Players Championship, top 10 at the Texas Open and top 25 at the Masters. His putter has been carrying the load, but don't be shocked if the defending champion's iron play makes the trip to Harbour Town. In addition to his win, Fitzpatrick has three top 15s in his last six appearances.
- Will Zalatoris (28-1)
2024 RBC Heritage expert picks
| Winner (4-1): Consider this a free square on the bingo card at this point. Scheffler is just so much better than everyone else at this point, and it seems like the only thing that can stop him is a possible withdrawal due the to birth of his first child. He may not be preparing like a normal tournament given the post-Masters whirlwind, but it may not matter. Over the last three months, Scheffler is one stroke better per round than the second-best player in the world and two-times better than the 10th-ranked player. | |
| Contender (45-1): The Irishman has been brilliant on approach over the last three months. After experiencing a sluggish start to his year, Lowry turned a corner at the beginning of the Florida swing with top-five finishes at PGA National and Bay Hill. While the results have not continued, his ball striking has; he ranks third in this field in strokes gained approach, fourth in strokes gained tee to green and fourth in driving accuracy. He should have a tartan jacket by now with finishes of T3, T9 and T3 in his last five tournament appearances. | |
| Sleeper (55-1): McCarthy has long been known as one of if not the best putter in the world, but his tee-to-green game is beginning to follow suit. If not for Akshay Bhatia, the right hander would have entered the winner's circle in San Antonio, and he performed admirably in his Masters debut making his way to the weekend. Augusta National was never going to be a great fit for McCarthy's game, but Harbour Town is. He has two top 25s in his last three showings in Hilton Head. | |
Who will win the RBC Heritage, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard and best bets, all from the model that's nailed 11 golf majors and is up nearly $10,000 since June 2020.
