RBC Heritage betting preview: Can Morikawa break out of winless slump?

Turning the page so soon after one of the most memorable tournaments we'll ever witness isn't easy, but the PGA TOUR rolls on with the RBC Heritage from Harbour Town Golf Links.

The signature event (don't get me started on signature events directly following major championships on the schedule) will feature 72 of the PGA TOUR's best players, minus Rory McIlroy, who's taking a much-deserved week off after claiming the green jacket.

The course

• 7,213 yards, par 71
• Poa trivialis overseeded greens
• Requires accuracy over distance off the tee
• Small greens reward pinpoint iron play
• Seven par 4s under 440 yards

Past winners

2024: Scottie Scheffler (-19) over Sahith Theegala
2023: Matt Fitzpatrick (-17) in a playoff over Jordan Spieth
2022: Jordan Spieth (-13) in a playoff over Patrick Cantlay
2021: Stewart Cink (-19) over Emiliano Grillo, Harold Varner III
2020: Webb Simpson (-22) over Abraham Ancer
2019: C.T. Pan (-12) over Matt Kuchar
2018: Satoshi Kodaira (-12) in a playoff over Si Woo Kim
2017: Wesley Bryan (-13) over Luke Donald
2016: Branden Grace (-9) over Luke Donald, Russell Knox

The favorites

Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion and the heavy favorite at +425. He didn't have his best stuff at the Masters but still finished fourth. However, Scheffler lost strokes off the tee and wasn't overly sharp with his irons, making him tough to trust at such a short number.

Collin Morikawa, Ludvig Aberg, and Xander Schauffele are next up after each finished inside the top 15 at Augusta. Morikawa's been playing the best out of this trio, but all three should give Scheffler a run for his money.

Patrick Cantlay gets a huge bump in odds this week because of an impeccable history at Harbour Town. In seven career starts, he's finished inside the top three on five occasions.

Picks

Collin Morikawa: To win (+1000)

Rarely do we go to the top of the board, but Morikawa feels primed to finally break through this week. His last victory came in October 2023, but he's trending toward another. Morikawa has yet to finish outside the top 20 this season while only competing in top-tier events, averaging 7.73 strokes gained: tee-to-green per tournament. He's earned two top-10 results in five appearances at the RBC Heritage, including a T9 last year despite losing three strokes on approach shots.

Daniel Berger: To win (+4500), top-20 finish (+125)

Berger is also in great form, coming off a T21 at Augusta for his seventh straight top-30 result. He gained strokes off the tee and on approach shots at the Masters and has gained strokes putting in seven consecutive tournaments. Berger has played Harbour Town five times, including a T3 in 2020. He also recorded a T21 last year when he gained 6.6 strokes on approach shots.

Harris English: To win (+8000)

This is a big number for a player who already has a win this season and is playing great golf. English gained 5.1 strokes on approach shots last week at the Masters, lifting him to a T12 result. His final-round 68 was the second-lowest score posted. English has back-to-back top-20 showings in the lead-up to Harbour Town, a venue he's competed at 10 times in his career. His best result came in 2012 with a T8.

Russell Henley: Top-20 finish (-130)

Henley surprisingly missed the cut at the Masters, but a weekend off to rest may have been good. Harbour Town suits his accuracy-first style perfectly, as evidenced by his three top-20 results at the event in his last four appearances. Henley has been playing some of the best golf of anyone in the field, and there's no reason to be worried about his missed cut at Augusta - a course where shorter hitters can struggle.

Corey Conners: Top-20 finish (-125)

Conners hasn't let Masters hangovers ruin his performance at the RBC Heritage. The last two times he finished inside the top 10 at Augusta, he followed up with a top-15 result at Harbour Town. Conners gained strokes in all four stat categories during his T8 last week, including 5.4 on approach shots. The Canadian has finished inside the top 20 in five straight tournaments - what's one more?