Seven of the top ten in the OWGR will head to South Carolina after the Masters. Even without Viktor Hovland, who withdrew after missing the cut at Augusta, 24 of the top 30 will tee off at RBC Heritage, including the defending champion, Matt Fitzpatrick. Aside from the Sheffield native, Jordan Spieth, who won here in a playoff two years ago, will also return. 

Spieth’s case was rather curious. He came close to defending his title. But Fitzpatrick’s scorching 9-iron nullified his chances in the final playoff hole. Webb Simpson, another former champion, will play on sponsor exemption. Before the tournament begins on April 18, here are the top five picks who have a chance to don the tartar jacket this year. 

Scottie Scheffler

Scottie Scheffler is the hot favorite in any tournament he plays. It’s tough to beat the guy who steps up his game at the clutch point. At the Masters, his iron game was far from the best we have seen on the PGA Tour. On Sunday, 12 players were better with their iron than Scheffler, who gained only 1.34 strokes compared to the field. But draining long putts at clutch moments came to his rescue. 

Scheffler heads to Hilton Road with the best in greens in regulation percentage, and as the leader in strokes gained: approach and tee-to-green. Scheffler’s scoring average has been 68.389, one-stroke better than Xander Schauffele’s 69.924. On his RBC Heritage debut last year, the world no. 1 netted a T11.

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Matt Fitzpatrick

The former US Open champion seems to have shaken off the rust after the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He has netted two top-tens since and was T22 at the Masters. Fitzpatrick was second in strokes gained: putting at the 2024 Masters, gaining almost 1.62 strokes compared to the field with his custom Bettinardi putter. The par 71, 7213-yard layout is his favorite after Augusta, the two-time PGA Tour winner having vacationed here as a kid.

Rory McIlroy

The Ulsterman was already settled on his next target, RBC Heritage, by Saturday. He had yet to finish the Masters but accepted that the dream of earning a green jacket was as good as gone. 

However, Rory McIlroy is not too far away from making a turnaround. In all but one of his seven PGA Tour events this season, the 34-year-old was inside the top 25. His iron play is better, but there is definitely some room for improvement, even McIlroy agrees. 

But most importantly, the 24-time PGA Tour winner has kept at it. Asked whether he would step back a little after the Masters, McIlroy brushed aside the suggestion. “Loving golf at the moment. Loving it.” Harbour Town Golf Links favors elite drivers of the ball, and none has done it better than Rory McIlroy in the past couple of years. 

Ludvig Aberg

It’s hard to imagine that this time last year, Ludvig Aberg was in college. The Texas Tech product has won twice on the PGA Tour since earning his membership. The Swedish Ryder Cup winner has four top-tens from his nine appearances so far. 

Aberg was the best putter in the Augusta National, gaining 2 strokes per round compared to the field. Only four players gained more than one stroke, and only Fitzpatrick was better than 1.5. The 24-year-old was also the second-best in SG: Total, just behind the usual suspect, Scottie Scheffler. His short game has dragged pulled him down. From 30 yards, Aberg lost -0.57 strokes compared to the field. 

The only other top-10 player in the Masters with a negative SG: Around the Green was Cameron Young. Ludvig Aberg has some work to do before heading to South Carolina and expect him to grind before the RBC Heritage. 

Xander Schauffele

Schauffele has done everything but win this year. Yet, you can’t rule out the current World No. 3. The T8 at Augusta National was his seventh top-10 this year. Only once Schauffele was outside the top 25. The San Diego alum netted a solo 4th last year. 

Schauffele is 19th in strokes gained: an approach to the green, and 12th in GIR% (392 greens hit from 558 holes played), which speaks in favor of his chances at the course, where greens are rather small. He is also sixth in Scrambling that will come in his favor considering Pete Dye designs tend to penalize players for missing the fairway. 

RBC Heritage, like the previous Signature events, will carry a purse of $20 million with a $4 million payday for the winner. Guaranteed paychecks also await everyone on the field, as there are no 36-hole cuts. The winner will receive 700 FedEx Cup points.