RSM Classic Preview and Picks

⛳ Welcome to This Week’s GolfStats Insider

Welcome back to GolfStats Insider, your top source for expert tips and insights on the next PGA Tour event. This newsletter is free, but if you want more detailed golf stats, consider a GolfStats subscription. It offers detailed performance charts, easy-to-sort history, and special formulas to help you make the best choices. If you want to improve your fantasy league or betting strategy, now's a great time to upgrade!

If this newsletter was forwarded to you, we would really appreciate you subscribing by clicking the button below. Please forward to a friend if you are already a subscriber.

🏆 RSM Classic Field

This week's final fall event features a field of 156 players competing for the last PGA Tour card and crucial FedEx Cup positioning heading into 2026. The field includes 26 of those in the top 100 and 7 of the top 50 in the latest Official World Rankings, with the highest-ranked player being #11 Harris English.

Notable top-100 players include #31 Brian Harman, #33 Andrew Novak, #48 Sam Stevens, #54 J.T. Poston, #57 Denny McCarthy, #59 Nico Echavarria, and #60 Chris Kirk. This marks a slight decrease from last year, which saw 29 top-100 players and 10 top-50 players.

The field includes all 8 of the 15 past champions: Adam Svensson (2023), Robert Streb (2021 & '15), Tyler Duncan (2020), Austin Cook (2018), Mackenzie Hughes (2017), Kevin Kisner (2016), Chris Kirk (2014), and Tommy Gainey (2012). With so much experience on these courses, expect some familiar names near the top of the leaderboard.

📊 Data-Driven Insights for Fantasy & Betting

If you’re serious about making the best picks this week, our GolfStats tools have you covered.

• Our Performance Chart ranks players by their average finish of all players in the RSM Classic, helping you identify those who consistently contend.

• Our GolfStats Custom Formula highlights the best performers at this event over the last five years, factoring in course history and key stats.

• Our Sortable 8-Year Glance lets you track trends, breakout performances, and potential sleepers in the RSM Classic.

These tools are invaluable whether you’re betting, setting a DFS lineup, or simply looking for an edge in your fantasy league. Check out the full blog post for DK fantasy advice and Who’s Hot and Who’s Not Hot Charts.

🌍️ Tournament Information

The RSM Classic is held in the beautiful resort town of Sea Island, Georgia, and has been a player favorite since its inception in 2010. With Davis Love III as its champion and driving force, the event draws top talent thanks to his relationships and the event's benefitting his charitable foundation.

Several local favorites are in the field this week, including Matt Kuchar, Zach Johnson, Harris English, Chris Kirk, Kevin Kisner, and Brian Harman, all of whom call Sea Island home. The tournament's strong sponsor, RSM (a tax and consulting firm), ensures this event remains a fixture on the fall schedule.

This year marks the final fall event of the 2025 season. The field was expanded from 132 to 156 players eight years ago when the Plantation Course was added to complement the Seaside Course for the first two rounds, with the final two rounds played exclusively on the Seaside.

All the stories worth knowing—all in one place.

Business. Tech. Finance. Culture. If it’s worth knowing, it’s in the Brew.

Morning Brew’s free daily newsletter keeps 4+ million readers in the loop with stories that are smart, quick, and actually fun to read. You’ll learn something new every morning — and maybe even flex your brain with one of our crosswords or quizzes while you’re at it.

Get the news that makes you think, laugh, and maybe even brag about how informed you are.

Try it for free

Seaside Course

Sea Island, Ga. | 7,005 yards | Par 35-35–70

The Seaside course is one of the three courses at Sea Island Golf Club and serves as the primary venue for the RSM Classic. This hidden gem is a classic Harry Colt and Charles Alison design dating back to 1929, with Tom Fazio completing a renovation in 1999.

Think of it as a proper Scottish links course transplanted to Georgia—it sits near the Atlantic Ocean with stunning ocean views and plays fast and firm. The main challenge here comes from the greens, which are notoriously difficult to read. The bunkering is old-fashioned and strategically placed to test even the most seasoned pros.

The course has a unique routing—the first nine goes out and back counterclockwise, while the second nine follows a clockwise direction. Each of the four par-3s faces a different direction, which creates a distinct feel on every one when the coastal winds pick up.

The course meanders through marshlands and lakes, with water or marshes coming into play on most holes. There are only 40 sand bunkers, but they're strategically positioned to catch wayward drives and approach shots. The greens average 7,000 square feet and feature bermudagrass. The course has a 72.3 rating and a slope of 137.

The Seaside has hosted several significant amateur competitions, including the US Senior Amateur and the US Senior Women's Amateur.

Plantation Course

Sea Island, Ga. | 7,060 yards | Par 36-36–72

The Plantation is Sea Island's original course, starting as a nine-hole layout that opened in 1928. Built by Walter Travis, it opened when ferry service first brought people to Sea Island. The land was once a working plantation, and some oak trees on the course were planted over 200 years ago.

In 1998, Rees Jones was brought in to upgrade the course, transforming it into what's described as a "parkland by the sea" course. While it has views of the Atlantic, it's parkland in nature—quite different from the links-style Seaside Course.

The Plantation plays at 7,060 yards with a 74.8 rating and a slope rating of 138. It features wide-open fairways, but lakes come into play on 10 of the 18 holes, creating a different kind of challenge than what players face on the Seaside.

Key Stats for Success at Sea Island

Success at the RSM Classic requires a balanced game, but certain skills will give players a significant edge on both courses:

Driving Accuracy: With marshlands, water hazards, and strategically placed bunkers throughout both courses, keeping the ball in the fairway is crucial. The bermudagrass rough at Sea Island may not be overly penal, but finding fairways sets up easier approach shots and more birdie opportunities.

Approach Play & Greens in Regulation: Both courses demand precise iron play. The Seaside's undulating greens are notoriously difficult to read, and hitting to the correct portions of the greens is essential. The Plantation's water hazards on 10 holes make accuracy paramount.

Putting on Bermudagrass: Both courses feature bermudagrass greens, which play differently than bent or poa annua. Players comfortable on bermuda will have a significant advantage, especially on the Seaside's tricky greens.

Wind Play: The coastal location means wind is always a factor, particularly on the Seaside Course. Players who can control ball flight and adapt to changing conditions will thrive.

📰 Looking Ahead on Tour

This is the 45th and final event on the PGA Tour for the 2025 season. The new autumn format continues to evolve in its third year, and while we've seen some marquee players appear in fall events, the overall interest in playing solely to earn PGA Tour cards hasn't matched the energy of the old wraparound season that started in September.

Personally, I still prefer starting the season in September and ending at the Tour Championship. The way it's structured now, these autumn events feel like they get lost in the shuffle and don't carry the same impact they did when they kicked off the season.

After this week, there's a break for Thanksgiving—giving the top players a chance to relax on a sunny beach somewhere. Then comes the Hero Challenge, returning to the Bahamas. Unfortunately, it looks like Tiger Woods won't be playing again this year. Tiger underwent disc replacement surgery due to pain last month, so we may not see him for a while. He's also absent from the PNC Championship (father/son), so there won't be a Tiger/Charlie matchup this year.

We're entering a quiet period in the game now, with little action until the Sony Open in Hawaii. As you may know, the PGA Tour canceled the Sentry Championship last month, so the first event of 2026 will be the Sony in the second week of January.

The European Tour wrapped up its 2025 season in Dubai last week, with Matt Fitzpatrick winning and Rory McIlroy claiming his seventh Race to Dubai title. It was a particularly special week for 10 players who earned PGA Tour cards for 2026 through the DP World Tour.

Englishman Marco Penge topped the qualifying list and will receive full playing privileges, qualifying for The Players Championship and two early Signature Events—the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis Invitational. Penge ranks 29th in the Official World Golf Rankings and will be exempt from PGA Tour reshuffles in 2026.

The second qualifier is Laurie Canter, who will become the first LIV Golf player to join the PGA Tour. Canter played in LIV's first year and has competed on the DP World Tour since 2023. He ranks 71st in the Official World Golf Rankings. The remaining eight qualifiers are Kristoffer Reitan, Adrien Saddier, Alex Noren, John Parry, Haotong Li, Keita Nakajima, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, and Jordan Smith.

As for last year's crop of DP World Tour graduates, it's been a mixed bag. Rasmus Hojgaard is currently the only one secure for 2026. Jesper Svensson sits 111th in the fall rankings and needs a strong finish at the RSM to keep his card. Thorbjorn Olesen is on the bubble at 96th in the rankings and needs to make the cut this week.

The DP World Tour has unified its schedule into a semi-wraparound format and heads straight into the 2026 season with the Australian PGA Championship next week. The event has been part of the European Tour since 2015 and features Cameron Smith and Geoff Ogilvy. The following week brings the Australian Open, followed by three African events—all part of the 2026 season but played in December.

🎯 Wrapping Up 2025

We are taking next week off for Thanksgiving, then returning with a preview of the Hero Challenge. We'll also be preparing for the 2026 season with coverage of The Sony Open.

This is your chance to share ideas for what you'd like to see in future newsletters and golfstats.com site functionality/tools. You can reach me at [email protected] or [email protected]. You can also write to Jason at [email protected].

Happy Thanksgiving, and we'll see you at the Sony Open!

Who to watch for at the RSM Classic

Subscribe to Premium to read the rest.