Scottie Scheffler’s Masters win doubled as a windfall for anyone who went with Erick Lindgren’s wisdom. Scheffler was Lindgren’s top pre-tournament pick, a 16-to 1 payout that marked the seventh time in less than 12 months that GOLF.com’s expert prognosticator has correctly called a winner in this space.
Now it’s on the RBC Heritage, at Harbour Town Golf Links, in Hilton Head, S.C., a heralded Pete Dye design perhaps best known to fans for the landmark lighthouse behind 18. The fairways are snug, the greens are small and our terms with Lindgren are the same as ever. We give him a $1,000 gambling budget (just play money) and he provides us with his 5 favorite picks.
(Looking to play any of these bets yourself? We teamed with BetMGM and the online sports book is offering a Risk-Free Bet of up to $1,000.)
Collin Morikawa to win, +1,400 (wager: $300)
One of the game’s top iron players on a course that prizes accuracy from tee to green. Morikawa placed seventh here last year, and Lindgren is looking for an even stronger showing. “He’s probably the guy who makes me most uneasy week to week to not have in my lineup,” Lindgren says. “I’m happy to take the price here as I think he’s the best player in the field on a course that should be good for him.”
Jordan Spieth to win, +4,000 (wager: $100)
After missing the cut at the Masters for the first time in his career, Spieth might seem like a counterintuitive pick. That’s partly the point. “Jordan is a feel player and I think handicapping him is the same,” Lindgren says. “I feel we get double the effort we would normally get from him, and that could easily be good enough to get him in the winner’s circle.”
Matt Kuchar, top 5, +900 (wager: $200)
It’s been a long dry spell for Kuchar, but, Lindgren says, “he’s flashed some form of late.” No better place for him to catch fire than on a course where he has won before.
Brandt Snedeker, top 10, +1,000 (wager: $200)
Another past winner at Harbour Town, Snedeker struck it beautifully in his last Tour start, at the Valero, but he struggled with the flat-stick, an off-brand performance for one of the game’s great putters. “I’m confident he addressed that during his week off,” Lindgren says.
Scott Piercy, top 20, +1000 (wager: $200)
You’ve heard of horses for courses. How about horses for architects? Don’t let his undoing on the 17th at Sawgrass this year fool you, Lindgren says. Piercy plays well on Dye designs. “He also knows it’s time to start racking up Fed Ex Cup points,” Lindgren says, which should add spark to the motivational fire.