Mackenzie Hughes Defends RSM Classic

The PGA Tour returns to Sea Island Golf Club in Georgia this week for the RSM Classic.

2016 rookie Mackenzie Hughes won his first event here last year with a dramatic finish in the form of a five-man playoff on Monday.

The Canadian drained a long putt from off the green on the second sudden-death hole before Blayne Barber, Henrik Norlander and Camilo Villegas all missed from within 10 feet.

This will be the tournament’s eighth playing after entering the PGA Tour schedule in 2010 as the McGladrey Classic.

Related: Race to Dubai concludes at DP World Tour Championship

Heath Slocum was the inaugural champion, followed by Ben Crane, Tommy Gainey, Kris Kirk, Robert Streb, Kevin Kisner and Mackenzie Hughes.

The first two days sees play alternate over Sea Island GC’s Seaside and Plantation courses to accomodate the 156-man field. The final two rounds are on the Seaside Course.

The Seaside course was opened in 1929 as a nine holer laid out by Harry Colt and Charles Alison. A further nine was added in the 1970s and Tom Fazio put the two together in 1999.

It’s a tough par-70 with its main protection being the wind, although scoring has been low in this event historically.

Tommy Gainey shot a 60 in 2012 and Kevin Kisner was -22 in 2015.

Venue: Sea Island Resort, Sea Island, Georgia
Date: Nov 17-20
Course stats: par 70, 7,005 yards
Purse: $ 6,000,0000 Winner: $1,026,000
Defending champion: Mackenzie Hughes (-17)

TV Coverage:
Thursday 16 – Sky Sports Golf from 6.30pm
Friday 17 – Sky Sports Golf from 6.30pm
Saturday 18 – Sky Sports 4 from 6.30pm
Sunday 29 – Sky Sports Golf Red Button from 6.30pm, Main Channel from 9pm

Not a Sky Sports customer and want to watch the RSM Classic?

Why not buy a Now TV pass? For £6.99 you can get a day pass, if you just wish to watch one of the rounds, or for just £10.99 you can get a week pass to see the whole tournament.

Buy a Now TV Sky Sports Day Pass for £6.99

Buy a Now TV Sky Sports Week Pass for £10.99

The week pass will also allow you to watch this week’s DP World Tour Championship on the European Tour.

Player watch:

Chesson Hadley – The Web.com Tour graduate has had a great start to life on the main tour, with three top-four finishes already

Charles Howell III – Howell has had a decent start to the 2017 season, finishing T4th last week where he was second in GIRs. He has played here every year so far and made the cut all seven times with three top-10s

Kevin Kisner – The 2015 champion plays his first event of the season here. His total of -22 at Sea Island GC two years ago is five lower than anyone has ever posted.

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