How to bet the RBC Heritage: Schauffele, Aberg among standouts this week

One week after The Masters, the PGA heads to South Carolina for RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links.

Last week was about power, this week is about control. You're dealing with tiny greens, tight visuals and a bunch of approach shots from 150 yards out, so it turns into a game of angles.

The players who separate here have great iron control and think a step ahead; they don't just fire at pins, they play smart. Historically, you'll get some random winner but when the field gets stronger, it usually lands on the guys with complete games.

That's why I'm shifting this week, being a bit more risk averse than normal. While I'm normally a Top 20 bettor, instead of protecting downside I'm leaning into Top 10s and betting on players who can turn good positioning into real chances.

Placement bets come down to your risk tolerance. The question to ask is how aggressive you want to be with the same read.

Here are the players to consider this week.

Odds by DraftKings Sportsbook

Best bets

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Xander Schauffele: Top 5 +265 (with ties)

Full odds:

• Top 20 -186
• Top 10 +126
• To win +1500

Schauffele is back to being a complete player. That's the whole bet. The biggest shift from last year is the putter. What held him back in 2025 was short game inconsistency, which is no longer the case. Pair that with elite ball striking and he becomes one of the most reliable contenders in the field.

And that ball striking is peaking again, with three straight events gaining five-plus strokes on approach, including The Players, where he gained across the board and hit 14 of 14 fairways in a round. That's a player who has complete control of his game. That style of precision shows up on tighter courses and tougher setups like this.

He also lines up perfectly with the key ranges this week, from 150-200 yards, where a lot of approach shots come from. At that range he's one of the best in the field. Schauffele basically has no real weaknesses, no scrambling reliance, nothing spiking ... just consistency.

That's why Top 5 +165 makes more sense than Top 10 +125 because Schauffele is a true contender to win. If you want to play it safe, Top 10 is the way to go but if you agree that this version of Schauffele is real, Top 5 is the better bet because you'll get paid for his true range if his game shows up again.

Ludvig Åberg: Top 10 +176 (with ties)

Full odds:

• Top 20 -134
• Top 5 +375
• To win +2200

Aberg is one of the cleanest tee-to-green players on tour, elite off the tee with that power plus accuracy combination, consistently gaining on approach across starts. The question is fit. This isn't a driver-heavy course, so his biggest weapon gets muted a bit but it doesn't disappear. His advantage shifts from distance to control, which still plays.

Third on approach overall will allow Aberg to keep generating chances. You've seen his ceiling, scoring a 63 at The Players last month is not an accident. When Aberg gets rolling, he can jump the leaderboard.

Top 20 -134 is the safer option but you're paying for it. Top 10 +176 is worth the calculated risk because his profile is built to contend.

Cameron Young: Top 10 +152 (with ties)

Full odds:

• Top 20 -154
• Top 5 +320
• To win +1800

Young is finally turning elite tools into actual results. That's the shift I'm betting on. He's one of the best drivers on tour, which even on a less than driver course, I would trust his off the tee confidence. Pair that with positive approach play, ninth in strokes gained overall, and you get a legit top-tier profile. He won The Players and followed it up with a strong Masters, including a 65 showing how quickly he can flip a leaderboard.

On paper, the 100-200 yard buckets don't fully back him. They look average or below average at best but that's where you can't just stare at data because his results at the toughest courses are telling a different story, gaining with his irons. The real difference now is the putter, which used to hold him back but has improved enough to unlock his ceiling. Top 10 is certainly risky if you're using full-season data sets, but Young has definite upside with recent plus strong-field events in which he becomes one of the best players.

Players to consider for Daily Fantasy

Jacob Bridgeman, $8,200

I wanted to play Bridgeman Top 20 +128, but I couldn't find enough conviction for such little payoff. He makes more sense in DFS than betting because his profile is volatile, gaining most of his strokes with the putter. That part of a golfer's game can disappear quickly. In fantasy, volatility is useful. If his putter stays hot, Bridgeman can jump the leaderboard and out perform his fantasy price. In betting, I want to put money on consistency and his approach play has been anything but steady to trust. When deciding between fantasy and betting, I think ceiling versus stability. Bridgeman fits one, not both.

DFS player to fade

Collin Morikawa, $9,300

It's about risk. He's first on approach and top 10 across iron metrics that matter for this week. Fading him is not for the faint of heart. The iron play is elite but the back injury isn't something to ignore. He withdrew from multiple events and even at Augusta, a T7 looks stellar but it was more survival than control. That's not the same as being fully ready for another four-round test. At this price, I would want both stability and upside, but Morikawa's health cuts into both. If he wins, it's because the body holds up. It's just not a bet or fantasy pick I want to make this week.