PGA Pin Seeker 11-17-15

The RSM Classic Preview

We're back this week with the RSM Classic from the Sea Island Resort in Sea Island, Georgia. Players will alternate between the Plantation Course and the host course, The Seaside, over the first two rounds. Robert Streb is the defending champion, and he will be in the field to defend his title. Streb shot a final round 63 to jump all the way from 12^th at the start of Sunday to take his first PGA Tour crown in a playoff over Brendon De Jonge and Will MacKenzie. For course history purposes this week, I will focus on the Seaside Course, the shorter of the two, as the final two rounds will be played there. It measures just over 7,000 yards, and definitely rewards accuracy over length. Davis Love IV, or 'Dru,' will join his dad Davis Love III, who is also the host, in the field this week. Love is a Sea Island resident, and also the 'Team RSM' member, hence his host duties. There is a long list of players with Sea Island connections in the field, a lot of whom train at the Sea Island Golf Performance Center. That list includes, Jonathan Byrd, Stew Cink, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar and Patton Kizzire. You'll want to tune into TV coverage this weekend, as the Seaside course is a true Oceanside course with beautiful scenery.

Key Stats for the Seaside Course at Seaside Island Resort

The Seaside course is a great test of accuracy and precision iron play, and my first key stat is Driving Accuracy (DA). With so many short par 4's on the course, a lot of players will club down and not hit driver, but accuracy will still be imperative. Streb was a bit of an anomaly last year, but going back to 2011, multiple players every year that finished T3 or better were also ranked highly that year in driving accuracy. Next, as with any par 70, par 4 scoring (P4S) is almost always a stat that predicts success. In 2011, Ben Crane and Webb Simpson finished 1-2 and were also ranked inside the top 10 that year in P4S. Last year, Streb and De Jonge were the last two men standing in the playoff, and also ranked inside the top 50 at year end in P4S. Finally, Scrambling rounds out the key stats for the Seaside Course. The list of top 10 finishers here over the past five years is littered with players who scramble well, including past champions Heath Slocum, Ben Crane and Kirk. All three finished their respective winning seasons inside the top 30 in scrambling. Some secondary stats I looked at were Birdie or Better %, strokes gained putting, and par 3 scoring. All had some statistical trends that pointed to their importance this week. Onto the picks…..

Top Pin Seekers

Zach Johnson

'Team RSM' member and a Sea Island resident, whose game fits absolutely perfect for Seaside. Also, 18th in P3S GPP Ownership Guess: 20-25%

Kevin Kisner

Great current form, and placed 3rd here last year. Also, top 50 in P3S GPP Onwership Guess: 10-15%

Patton Kizzire

*Stats are from the web.com Tour* Kizzire is in great form right now, with three top five finishes in his last four starts GPP Ownership Guess: 15-20%

Middle Tee Plays

Charles Howell III DK Salary $9,100 - cut making machine with five straight here , including two top 10's

Kevin Chappell DK Salary $9,000 - 8th last year - top 50 in P4S

Brendon De Jonge DK Salary $8,700 - 2nd last year, 4th in 2012 - top 50 in key stats

Robert Streb DK Slaary $8,700 - defending champ - 2nd in P3S & 18th in P4S

Robert Castro DK Salary $8,600 - great current form, with four top 10's in last seven starts - 40th in DA

Jason Kokrak DK Salary $8,500 - two straight top 20 finishes, 10th here in 2013

Chris Kirk DK Salary $8,500 - former winner here, with a 4th last year

David Lingmerth DK Salary $8,200 - 14th last year - top 50 in key stats

GPP Dark Board Dreams

Michael Thompson DK Salary $7,900 - two previous top 10 finishes, will be 1-2% owned in GPP

Brendon Todd DK Salary $7,800 - two made cuts here - top 50 in all pertinent stats

Stewart CInk DK Salary $7,300 - very familiar with course - 26th in P4S

Morgan Hoffman DK Salary $7,200 - in good form, will also be around 1-2% owned in GPP

Zac Blair DK Salary $7,000 - good form, 10th last week - top 50 in all pertinent stats

Hudson Swafford DK Salary $6,900 - Another Sea Island resident - 50th in P4S - great price for skillset