RSM Classic Predictions & Picks: Who Will Win the Final Event of the PGA Tour Season?

After 14 months, the 2022-23 PGA Tour season will officially draw to a close this week with the RSM Classic at the Sea Island Golf Club in St. Simons Island, Georgia.

As with the previous several events on the post-TOUR Championship schedule, this is the second edition of this tournament this season, due to the scheduling quirks brought on by the impending return to a calendar-year schedule.

In the event held last November, Adam Svensson claimed his first PGA Tour win. With a score of 19-under 263, he beat out Brian Harman, Callum Tarren, and Sahith Theegala by two strokes.

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If you craned your head at that score, it’s because this event is played on two courses: the par-70 Seaside Course and the par-72 Plantation Course. So, this is a par-282 event, as opposed to 280, 284, or 288 as most other PGA Tour events are.

Harman is back in action for the first time since the Ryder Cup, and he is one of the favorites in an RSM Classic field that also includes Ryder Cup winner Ludvig Aberg, Russell Henley, and Camilo Villegas, who picked up his first win since 2014 at last week’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship.

Odds to Win the 2023 RSM Classic

Odds are courtesy of Bovada.

• Ludvig Aberg +1400
• Russell Henley +1400
• Brian Harman +1800
• Cameron Young +1800
• Corey Conners +2000
• Eric Cole +2500
• J.T. Poston +2500
• Si Woo Kim +3000
• Adam Svensson +3500
• Alex Noren +3500
• Denny McCarthy +3500
• Justin Suh +3500
• Matt Kuchar +3500
• Billy Horschel +4000
• Brendon Todd +4000
• J.J. Spaun +4000
• Camilo Villegas +4500
• Harris English +4500
• Stephan Jaeger +4500
• Taylor Pendrith +4500
• Akshay Bhatia +5000
• Alex Smalley +5000
• Chris Kirk +5000
• Matti Schmid +5000

RSM Classic Predictions and Picks

Tournament Winner Pick: Brian Harman (+1400)

Sure, there is some risk involved in backing someone who hasn’t played in a while.

But Harman had a solid finish to the pre-Ryder Cup slate, finishing tied for 12th or better in five of seven tournaments, including his surprise British Open win, a tie for second at the Travelers Championship, and a tie for fifth at the BMW Championship.

Also, while he lost his Sunday singles match, he was one of only three Americans (Patrick Cantlay and Max Homa were the others) to pick up multiple points at the Ryder Cup.

Additionally, I often like to consider previous tournament success and course familiarity when making golf picks, and Harman, a St. Simons Island resident, checks both boxes. In last year’s RSM Classic, he shot 65-64 in the final two rounds to post his best-ever result in the tournament.

Other RSM Classic Picks

Odds are courtesy of BetUS.

Taylor Pendrith to finish in the top 20 (+240)

Pendrith was under heavy consideration as my pick to win the tournament, but I opted to focus on a finishing position play with him.

The 32-year-old Canadian is on a nice run of form currently. He tied for third at the Shriners Children’s Open, tied for 15th at the World Wide Technology Championship, and tied for eighth at the Bermuda Championship.

That good stretch should continue this week. In last year’s edition of this event, he tied for 15th, coming in six shots behind Svensson. I really like the value here.

Alex Smalley to finish in the top 20 (+240)

Smalley’s form hasn’t been fantastic since he tied for second at the John Deere Classic in July, with two missed cuts, two finishes outside of the top 60, and only one top-20 finish in his last six tournaments.

However, I’m optimistic about his chances to post a respectable finish this week. In last year’s RSM Classic, he came in fifth, four shots behind Svensson. If he can shoot four similar rounds like he did last November, he will end his season on a positive note.

Camilo Villegas to finish in the top 20 (+275)

To close out my RSM Classic picks, I’m riding with the hot hand.

To begin the month, Villegas tied for second at the World Wide Technology Championship, his first top-five finish in a PGA Tour event since the 2016 RSM Classic, when he and three others lost out to Mackenzie Hughes in a playoff.

He followed that with an even better week in Bermuda, where his final-round 65 saw him edge out third-round leader Alex Noren by two strokes.

It was a long-awaited return to the winner’s circle for Villegas, who hadn’t won a PGA Tour event since the 2014 Wyndham Championship.

Could he go back-to-back this week? Don’t put it past him. Along with his runner-up finish seven years ago, he tied for sixth in this event in 2020, one of the few highlights of a long lean period for him.

I’m going relatively low risk here, but if you are interested in backing other options, Villegas is +600 to finish in the top ten and +1200 to finish in the top five. Both are absolutely worth your consideration.

Where to Bet on Golf

In addition to Bovada and BetUS, there are many other sports betting sites that are recommended if you are interested in golf betting, including the following trio:

• BetDSI
• BetOnline
• Bookmaker
• MyBookie
• Sportsbetting.ag

You may already have an account at those online sportsbooks, but if you don’t, we suggest reading our reviews and checking them out for yourself to see if they are a good option for your preferences as a sports bettor.